“Quantum effects, often eluding human understanding, are about to have a new home”. That home is HPQ. HPQ, the future physics building, will rise on ETH Zurich’s Hönggerberg campus. It will be a place of innovation. Inside, researchers will explore the smallest scales and shortest time frames.
The HPQ laboratory and office building promises state-of-the-art research infrastructure. This infrastructure will enable ETH Zurich to expand its position in quantum technologies. The Department of Physics and interdepartmental technology platforms will heavily use the HPQ. It will help them face the challenges of the future.
Imagine the intricate planning that went into HPQ. Fifty teams of experts applied to participate in the project competition. These teams came from fields like architecture, urban planning, and civil engineering. Ilg Santer Architekten from Zurich ultimately won in November 2015.
Above ground, HPQ will feature four floors of laboratories and offices. The ground floor will be a public space with double-height ceilings. A top floor will house building services. The lower floors are split into a main building and a side building. The side building will contain high-performance labs for sensitive research.
These underground laboratories demand extreme precision. Influences from inside and outside the building could disrupt experiments. The building requires exceptional vibration control. Electromagnetic compatibility is crucial. Cooling performance and temperature stability must be perfect.
Below HPQ, a new earth probe field is under construction. This field will connect to the anergy grid. This connection will contribute to a sustainable heat and cold supply for the connected buildings on the Hönggerberg campus. The 189 earth probes extend 200 meters into the ground. They will store and extract heat or cold as needed.
HPQ’s location places it strategically on campus. It sits in the northern part, between the HIT and HIL buildings. The Huber Pavilions, previously a temporary solution, had to be dismantled to make way for HPQ. HPQ will improve access to the HIT building. It will be easily accessible from Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse.
The glass façade of HPQ will add transparency to the campus. Its compact structure will blend into the surroundings. The Flora Ruchat Roncati garden will be extended as envisioned in the 2040 masterplan. This extension will protect and support biodiversity. Visitors will have direct access to the cafeteria terrace from the garden.
Martin Haefner, an ETH alumnus and Honorary Councillor, made a generous donation to support HPQ. He said, “For me, it’s about Switzerland as a research location. I support ETH Zurich in order to facilitate innovation and progress.”
Preliminary work on HPQ began in August. The majority of the building, comprising six levels in total, will be located underground. A great deal of material will be used and moved around due to the sheer depth of the excavation pit and the building’s dimensions.
HPQ promises to be a hub of scientific discovery. Its innovative design and advanced facilities will push the boundaries of physics research for years to come.