Basel : the "pharmaceutical city", a visit to the two global company groups Novartis and Hoffmann - La Roche. Friday 21 9:30 am -3 pm

Accompanying Person: Monika Wechsler

We will first visit the new Novartis Campus, which has been turned into a modern workplace including first-class architecture and exquisite design. Over the past decade the campus, which lies in a traditional city quarter, has seen the construction of 14 new buildings and has thus been transformed into a state-of-the-art campus that provides an ideal workspace to its more than 7,000 associates. We will hear about the history and work philosophy of the campus and see the office and laboratory buildings from the outside, with expert guidance around the facility by Novartis employees. This tour along the site's principal axis includes numerous buildings by architects such as Diener & Diener, Sejima & Nishizawa (SANAA), Frank O. Gehry, David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando and others, as well as various artworks and green areas. After the tour we will have the opportunity to visit the Knowledge Center and hear from our co-workers about their work within this company.
After crossing the river with the traditional Basel ferry boat, we will have a casual lunch in a buvette along the river banks of the Rhine and stroll along the river to the brand new Roche Tower. With its 178 m, it is the highest building in Basel. We will have the opportunity to experience the highlights of the building, to view work and break zones, to learn about the building elements that are typical of the architectural style of Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, and last but not least, learn about Roche and take a look at Basel. Besides enjoying the view over the city and as far as Germany and France, we will also hear about it.

• Start time: 9:30 at Novartis Main gate (Fabrikstrasse, 4056 Basel)
• End time: 15:00 at Hoffmann La Roche (Grenzacherstr. 124, 4058 Basel)
• Max number of participants: 12
• Costs: Visits are free; fee for light lunch and transportation : 30 CHF

Basel : Bike Tour "Three countries within one hour"

Have you ever traveled through three countries within one hour? Visit our two neighboring countries Germany and France during a guided tour on bicycles. Starting at the main train station in Basel, we will follow the river Rhine past the architecturally impressive Novartis campus down to the international border and enter France. Our tour will lead us through the little Alsatian town of Huningue. Two kilometers further down the river, we will cross the Rhine using the “Dreiländerbrücke” which takes us directly to Germany. A short loop through Weil am Rhein will bring us back to Switzerland and to the port area of Basel with the “Dreiländereck” pylon marking the geographic tripoint at which the boundaries of the three countries meet. Return to the main station along the riverbanks of the Rhine and through the old town of Basel.

• Starting time: 10.00 am
• Starting point: Basel main station SBB/CFF
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Maximum number of participants: 15
• Cost: 31 Euro / CHF 35.00 for rental bikes and snack

Zurich : City Tour, architecture and libraries.

Accompanying Person: Anna Schlosser

Zurich is the little big city of Switzerland. Thanks to the short walking distances, excellent public transportation, and a compact city center, even visitors who have very little time to spare can get to see a lot of Zurich. Zurich Main Station and the inner city can be reached in just 15 minutes from Zurich Airport. From here it is just a short walk to the Old Town, important museums, the famous Bahnhofstrasse shopping mile, and even Lake Zurich.

The University building by Karl Moser and the building of the ETH polytechnic institute Zurich by Gottfried Semper are dominating the hill above the river Limmat and the old town.

University of Zurich – Law Library

Santiago Calatrava , now famous for many bridges and buildings for public transport throughout the world studied at ETH Zurich and created in early years the Bahnhof Stadelhofen. In 2004 the library of the Faculty of Law was inaugurated, a hanging building in an inner court of a classic university building. “Books are heavy, but knowledge is light” tried Calatrava to express in the awesome building.

University of Zurich >Main Library – Medicine Careum

This Library opened its doors in 2004 as an integrated information centre for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, the Careum Training Centre and the Careum School of Health for nursing and allied professions.

• Departure: 9:33 from Basel Main station
• Arrival in Zurich: 10:32 Zurich Main Station
• Arrival at Library of Law Calatrava 11:15h – guided tour, drinks
• 12:15h Hauptbibliothek – Medicine Careum: guided tour and light lunch
• 14-16h Walk through old town – possibility to leave for airport
• Cost: 48 Euro / CHF 55.00 for transportation