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In the last decades, Roche Diagnostics has expanded globally by acquiring sites across the world. The Estates team has developed a methodology to understand the sites’ constraints and potential, and develop long term strategic plans that align their development plans and projects with Roche’s aspirations to improve its employees quality of life and deliver a unique corporate experience.
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Cool-tones in Suzhou inspired by local materials promote serenity and purity of material. Walls and openings act as backdrops for water and vegetation, inspired by traditional water gardens of the area. Warm sandy tones and monolithic concrete of Tucson protect against and respond to the hot Arizona desert climate through passive self-shading and thermal massing. Intersecting arroyo corridors provide mountain views. Local landscaping preserves the desert’s environmental character. In Sant Cugat, the highly social Mediterranean spirit is embodied through biophilic, flexible indoor spaces for community events that let sunlight in and promote views to the mountains beyond. The ’umbracle’ tradition is reinterpreted through the new trellis building facade that provides shading.
Sustainable strategies for resilience mitigate climate change by reducing operational energy, carbon emissions, and integrating with the existing landscape. Regionally specific gardens at Suzhou and Sant Cugat campuses contribute to natural stormwater management during seasonal flood events. District-wide heating and cooling systems, central plants, and efficient routing strategies reduced energy demands and operational carbon footprints, globally.
Roche Diagnostics has developed a new global strategy that combines comprehensive planning and design guidelines on company sites around the world. The Strategic Master Planning (SMP) approach supports science by celebrating each site’s inherent cultural, environmental and architectural characteristics, and balances these thoughtfully with Roche’s brand values. The team developed, through stakeholder engagement, guidelines for each site to establish clear development plots, corridors, circulation spines with coordinated infrastructure. Each site integrates sociocultural patterns to maximize collaboration, community-building and place-making through access and connection points at every 100 meters to increase walkability and connection with the wider district. Central gathering and community spaces further promote collaboration and celebrate the diverse yet global culture of Roche Diagnostics’ employees. The plan has been implemented across nine sites and informed 20 large scale capex projects thus far, with the belief that investment into culturally specific spaces can enhance a sense of unity to create a “family of working environments.” Three sites in particular – Suzhou, Tucson and Sant Cugat – have implemented SMP from early planning to delivery and are unified in a global vision for collaborative workplaces, but diverse in community, place and practice. Tucson’s arid climate, Suzhou’s garden city and Sant Cugat’s Mediterranean setting directly influenced Roche’s designs.
“While we’re using some recently completed projects that exemplify our approach, this is really the culmination of almost a decade of work. These plans are a proven model for us and have now influenced hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. All together, our portfolio of sites is now delivering greater effectiveness with improved sustainability. More importantly, our built environment is now better reflecting our unique culture and ways of working.” Robert Bracken, Roche Diagnostics
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global collective of architects, designers, engineers, and planners, responsible for some of the world’s most technically and environmentally advanced buildings and significant public spaces. SOM's designs anticipate change in the way we live, work and communicate, and have brought lasting value to communities around the world. The firm's approach is highly collaborative, and its interdisciplinary team is engaged on a wide range of international projects, with creative studios based across the globe.
Roche Diagnostics develops and produces medical tests and digital tools that provide information to help healthcare professionals find the right treatment for patients and deliver the best patient care to improve, prolong and save lives. Currently, Roche Diagnostics leads the industry in developing diagnostic products for cancer, cardiac health, infectious diseases, women’s health and diabetes management.
