Research, teaching, and practice are directly interlinked, with the aim of testing research findings within the project itself and making a tangible contribution to the fields of construction in existing buildings and adaptive reuse. These insights are intended to be transferable to other projects and buildings.
The LLHIL was initiated by Professor Matthias Kohler in the Department of Architecture and Hannes Pichler, Director of Real Estate Management at ETH Zurich, with the involvement of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering D-BAUG. The project is coordinated and developed by the internal LLHIL planning team.
EVENTS & NEWS
The ETH Executive Board and the ETH Board have approved Phase II
With the start of Phase II, the actual planning for the transformation of the HIL building's transformation can begin. Over the next two and a half years, the insights continuously gained from research, teaching and prototype development will gradually incorporated into a concrete construction project. This will form the basis for the subsequent implementation phase.
From façade to laboratory
An original HIL facade element is currently being tested in the laboratory. The investigations provide insights for the future retrofit of the facade.
Completion of the Context(s) HIL Master Thesis
Approximately 120 master thesis projects explore conceptual and design approaches for transforming the HIL building.
INPUT PROJECTS
The HIL building project will serve research and teaching purposes over a period of three years. It aims to develop new approaches to planning, construction, and use, by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration between ETH professors and their students and researchers, as well as with specialist departments at ETH and partners from the construction industry.
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Façade Measurements
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.
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Hellweg -
Understory
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.
Prof. Tom Emerson -
Translucent and lightweight
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.
Prof. Dr. Benjamin Dillenburger -
Transforming with data
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.
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HIL to HIL
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.
Prof. Roger Boltshauser, Prof. Fabio Gramazio -
Prototypical roof construction
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.
Prof. Andrea Frangi, Prof. Fabio Gramazio, Prof. Matthias Kohler, Prof. Andreas Taras, Prof. Martina Voser
