Swatch's new headquarters, a large wooden structure shaped like a snake, is 240 meters long and 35 meters wide. At its highest point, the wall measures 27 meters and is made up of a total of 4,600 wooden elements of Swiss origin.
Inside the building, 25,000 square meters of floor space spread over five floors accommodate all the departments of Swatch International and Swatch Switzerland. This new structure can accommodate 400 employees. At the moment, about 270 people work in the various departments such as logistics, marketing or sales.
In a perspective of sustainable development, the judicious use of groundwater for heating and cooling the building, as well as the use of photovoltaic energy contribute significantly to limiting CO2 emissions. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies and extensive know-how, the new Swatch headquarters demonstrates that contemporary construction and working methods can be in perfect harmony with nature.
Two new museums in a flagship city of the Swiss watch industry
The new headquarters also includes the Omega Museum and the one dedicated to the Swatch brand, called Planet Swatch. The city of Biel (canton of Bern) already being home to the watch manufacturer Rolex, its mayor Erich Fehr believes that this new Swatch development reaffirms Biel as a flagship city for Swiss watchmaking. He is also convinced that the two museums will strengthen the city's touristic appeal.
