Input Projects

This input project uses the HIL E60–E73 area to examine how modern and flexible spaces can be realized within the existing HIL structure, in order to fit the various needs of the contemporary architecture school.

Opening a section of the facade provides new insights into the construction and condition of the HIL facade, generating valuable knowledge for the upcoming planning phases.

Where and when is the HIL actually used? This project reveals the invisible movement patterns within the building.

Using the HIL building as a case study, students will explore how comfort, climate, and energy consumption interact, and develop alternative solutions for the buildings of tomorrow.

Watergarden is an open-air, experimental laboratory exploring urban water resilience, biodiversity enhancement, heat mitigation and the provision of open spaces, with a particular focus on the transformation of existing buildings.

The objective is to quantify the environmental impact of technical systems based on the end-of-life scenarios of existing ones.

Myco-Ceiling showcases the creation of lightweight bio-composites from fungal mycelium and wood waste. These panels can then be used as acoustically effective ceiling components in sustainable interior construction projects.

The Digital Structural Twin is being used to develop a digital interface between the architectural and structural models. This interface can be used to perform static analyses of different variants (e.g. for the extension of the HIL) very quickly and in a workflow-based manner.

How can digital passports help us understand what a building is made of and what can be reused? This project develops a «Dynamic Digital Passport Explorer» that links building models with detailed information about individual components and tests the approach using HIL as a real-world case study.

A systematic assessment of the requirements and expectations of HIL users serves as the empirical basis for the future transformation of the building.

Second-year bachelor’s students investigate the existing qualities of the HIL building and develop ideas for its future. In doing so, they consider HIL as a material resource, as a kind of “mine” of architectural elements.

A web-based acoustic design tool that enables the early integration of sound in architecture by allowing designers to simulate and listen to contextualized soundscapes within the HIL building.

The project explores how rainwater can be collected on existing terraces and used to support plants, biodiversity, and new forms of outdoor use. "Vertical Watergarden" combines landscape architecture with digital design and fabrication methods.

During the Spring Semester of 2026, all architecture students will address the shared context of the HIL in their Master's theses, selecting one of fourteen topics formulated by individual design chairs from their own perspectives.

How can the existing HIL facade become more sustainable? The project investigates the energy performance, occupant comfort, and emissions of potential retrofit scenarios.

This master’s project examines the conditions under which closed-loop water systems are feasible and beneficial for the HIL building.

Zu Beginn des Herbstsemesters 2025 setzten sich rund 700 Architekturstudierende einen Tag lang zeichnerisch mit dem HIL-Gebäude auseinander. Die entstandenen Arbeiten bilden einen Auftakt für eine aus dem Inneren des Departements entwickelte Auseinandersetzung mit der Zukunft des HIL.

To gain experience for a future Design Research Lab, room C45 in the Living Lab HIL will be temporarily converted into a workshop. The insights gained in this temporary space will be directly incorporated into the future lab.

This input project explores how earth and stone arising from erosion and excavation can be used as a local resource for circular construction, with as little processing as possible.

As part of the project, lightweight, modular earthen walls are being developed that can be robotically fabricated, easily assembled and disassembled, and reused in the future.

The Hönggerberg campus is being developed into a connected, climate-resilient and vibrant place for learning and research – supported by innovative water management, new habitats, and high-quality open spaces.

New Recycling: How can paper and cardboard, two of the largest waste streams at D-ARCH, be used as new building materials? In this elective course, students develop mock-ups and test their potential for the future transformation of the HIL building.

The component catalogue records the building components of the HIL in digital form and classifies them in terms of material and architectural history. In this way, it creates a lasting foundation for the sustainable further development of the building stock.

The project establishes an acoustic archive of the HIL building, documenting both measurable acoustic data and everyday soundscapes. By doing so, it adds a multisensory perspective to the building's previously predominantly visual documentation.

This project forms part of the 'Praktikum Umweltbeobachtung' course for second-semester Bachelor of Environmental Engineering students. The aim is to take thermal transmittance measurements (U-values) of the HIL façade.

The project office of the Living Lab HIL creates a space that can be used flexibly during the duration of the project — and by exposing the ceiling and floor, it makes the building’s structural framework visible as part of the experiment.

At the start of the semester, a workshop took place as part of Studio Foundations, bringing together 350 students, craftspeople, and supervisors in the HIL underground car park. Over the course of three days, this unremarkable parking area was transformed into a bustling construction hall where participants designed, built, and exhibited together.

This study examines the environmental impact of thermal façade retrofits, focusing on U-value, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), and façade orientation. It compares conventional and bio-based insulation materials.

A data-driven approach enhances digital building models by incorporating performance data. This provides a transparent and measurable basis for making informed decisions about renovating the HIL building.

In spring 2026, students of the MAS ETH DFAB will develop a wooden roof structure as a prototype for the future extension of the HIL building.

The project uses components that become available during the renovation to create a modular furniture system for the HIL. This is digitally planned, circularly designed and implemented as objects that contribute to a sense of place and identity.

As part of a teaching project, the HIL's point cloud becomes a creative design medium, generating 350 speculative visions of the future transformation of the existing building.

The thesis examines renovation strategies for the HIL building with regard to ETH Zurich's net zero targets. It shows that replacing just four components would significantly reduce emissions.

Three D-ARCH students examine in their semester project how the façade of the HIL building can be preserved and sustainably further developed instead of being replaced.

With Hollow-Core 3D Printing (HC3DP), translucent, lightweight, and insulating elements made from recycled polymers can be produced. These components open up new structural, energy-related, and aesthetic possibilities for architectural applications.