Articles

2023
WE’RE USED TO THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
SOTTAS SA | 11.12.2023
Sottas SA submitted the winning bid for a prestigious but formidable contract: producing the new glazing (72 pivot windows), facades and outer doors for the Swiss Embassy in the United States. Clara Schischlik, who managed the project for the Fribourg-based metal construction company, looks back at this high-profile project. Read article
ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES MADE OF STRONG STUFF
SWIBOX AG | 11.12.2023
The New Rail Link through the Alps (NRLA) is one of Switzerland's most impressive engineering feats in recent times. Two of the three tunnels in this huge project, Gotthard and Ceneri, are fitted with more than 3,500 control cabinets made in Fribourg by Swibox AG. Read article
Fribourg sees sustainable construction as key to a greener future
Fribourg Network Freiburg | 09.10.2023
On 6 September 2023, the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA) unveiled the latest edition of Fribourg Network Fribourg. Speaking at the launch, which was held in the bluefactory innovation district, FDA Director Jerry Krattiger explained that the FDA chose to devote the 2023 edition of its annual business magazine to construction and energy efficiency because they are an integral part of the bioeconomy and a core element of the canton’s development strategy. Read article
BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE THROUGH INNOVATION
bluefactory | 06.09.2023
The bluefactory innovation district is a real hive of activity. Created in 2014 on the site of the former Cardinal brewery in downtown Fribourg, bluefactory has recently embarked on the first phase of its ambitious three-part development plan, which will take to two decades to complete. Read article
A BYWORD FOR INNOVATION
SMART LIVING LAB | 06.09.2023
Whether climate-, health- or energy-related, one crisis after another is forcing us to rethink the way we design, construct, and use buildings. This is also the fast-changing context in which the Smart Living Lab operates. Read article
A CREATIVITY-FRIENDLY CAMPUS
RICHEMONT | 06.09.2023
The transformation is spectacular: the Richemont Group has treated its Fribourg campus (see photos) to a stunning two-year-long makeover, and just in time to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Villars-sur-Glâne. This vast redevelopment and construction project, completed in summer 2023, provides the Group's 1,400 employees with a unique work environment. Read article
DECONSTRUCT, NOT DEMOLISH
REUSE | 06.09.2023
Construction and demolition waste accounts for two-thirds of all refuse generated in Switzerland. Of course, it is possible to recycle building materials and use them to build a new structure, but this process can be extremely energy-intensive. A more sustainable alternative is the reuse of the existing building or salvaged building materials for a similar purpose while altering the fabric as little as possible. Read article
“Innovation is sweeping through the construction sector.”
FNF 2023 | 06.09.2023
Substantial state investment in research and development have helped Fribourg's construction sector to become more robust and prepare for future upheavals affecting the industry. Interview with Jerry Krattiger, Managing Director of the Fribourg Development Agency. Read article
A MAINSTAY OF THE FRIBOURG ECONOMY
FNF 2023 | 06.09.2023
The construction industry is one of the largest employers in Fribourg and accounts for an important share of the canton's GDP and employment. The sector derives a great deal of its strength from Fribourg's dense network of national and international firms, high-caliber SMEs, cluster, competence centers and research organizations. Read article
INNOVATION THROUGH COLLABORATION
BUILDING INNOVATION CLUSTER (BIC) | 06.09.2023
The mission of the Building Innovation Cluster (BIC) is to cultivate value creation and innovation in the construction sector. Read article