Congress Center, Convention center in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
The Congress Center is a building with an office tower, concert hall, and indoor swimming pool constructed from concrete with geometric forms and suspended roofs. The structure combines multiple functions under one roof and provides space for various activities and events.
Architect Max Schlup completed this concrete building in 1966, introducing modernist principles to the growing city. The structure now holds Class A status as a Swiss cultural property of national significance.
The Congress Center hosts concerts, exhibitions, and events that take place in both German and French languages. It plays an important role in the city's cultural life and draws visitors from both language communities.
The main entrance is on the southeast side, reached by an outdoor staircase to raised portals. The Place de l'Esplanade to the east has an underground car park beneath it. The indoor pool lies southwest of the tower, and the two-storey connecting wing runs north to Güterstrasse.
The office tower's facade is deceptive: the small window panes hide the floor levels, so the building looks taller than it is. For the 2009 "Utopics" sculpture exhibition, Lang/Baumann mounted Beautiful Steps #2 on the concrete frame, an aluminium staircase running between two false doors at about three-quarters of the height, built slightly smaller than life size.
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