by Herzog & de Meuron launches new website
In early 2023, Herzog & de Meuron launched a new website. Created as a collaborative project between the company’s digital media team, developer Rasso Hilber, Fertig Design, various project teams, clients and Kabinett, the revamped herzogdemeuron.com site features a new layout that goes beyond the concept of a digital portfolio , showcasing the full range of the office’s work and providing more in-depth insight into Herzog & de Meuron’s projects, working methods, design and construction process, and people.
To find out more about the new H&dM website, its new features and functions and how to contact users, designboom spoke to Simon Demeusepartner in the practice of Basel-based architecture and partner in charge of the new website project, who shared how the website allows one to intuitively navigate through all aspects of the practice. “In terms of content, the emphasis is on process, on sharing working methods that lead to unique design solutions, on most pages of the project,” Demeuse reports. “In a way, the site is based on the same principle that allows for a range of individual experiences, whether it’s a deep dive into research or just a casual stroll through the home page.
interview with Herzog & de Meuron
designboom (DB): Why did you decide to revamp the Herzog & de Meuron website?
Simon Demeuse (SD): To increase the transparency of H&dM’s practice — the new website was an opportunity to go beyond a standard portfolio of projects and address the oft-heard request for a more detailed picture of who we are and how we develop our projects. Herzog & de Meuron it is an ever-evolving organization. Over the past forty years, the office has transformed in scale and installation and it is important to share this with clients, partners and the architectural community at large.
The website also allows us to better explain the full range of our work. Healthcare, for example, is still one of our main goals. How design can improve life in a hospital is a topic explored early on REHAB Basel and was actively developed today through projects such as e.g UCSF, New North Zealand Hospital, University Hospital Baseland Kinderpsital Zürich — all of which are now shared and linked together online.
DB: What were your main goals in redesigning the new website?
SD: We wanted to share more about H&dM’s practice and our building construction process, and to share more about our team and the people who make the work possible. As such, the site connects a diverse group of people—from portfolio specialists to architects to BIM specialists—with projects, work methods, international offices and key experts on one platform.
Additionally, we wanted to make our website and practice more accessible to a wider range of users. We had a lot on our minds: partners, clients, other architects, academics, people curious about H&dM… the list goes on. Different groups use the site for their own purposes — browsers, exploring the site without an agenda. researchers, looking for information on a specific topic or project. and researchers, who may spend considerable time combing through it.
DB: How is the new site different in terms of communicating your work and character to users?
SD: The website is no longer a series of individual chapters but rather a dynamic database within which all content is linked. Working with Rasso Hilber and Fertig Design, we wanted the interface and visual language to be simple and straightforward. The result is a silent content engine that enables users to intuitively navigate all aspects of H&dM’s practice, on their phones or computers.
In terms of content, the emphasis is on process, on sharing work methods that lead to unique design solutions, on most pages of the project. This was inspired by our logic He answered monographs. On the page about Elbphilharmonie Hamburgfor example, a user can follow the progress of the project from concept studies to the final building, see photos of construction and completion, and jump to related posts, such as the exhibition’s contribution to Venice Biennale.
Many of our projects—the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, for example—show how architecture can be accessible and porous, open to its environment, and thus offer the public choices of use. In a way, the site is built on the same principle that allows for a range of individual experiences, whether it’s a deep dive into research or just a casual stroll through the home page.
DB: The new website has been developed together with several project teams, clients and Kabinett. Can you tell us a little about this collaboration?
SD: The first step was a fact-finding mission to all parts of the office involving project teams, partners, kitchen (the team that works on exhibitions, publications and special projects), Kabinettthe business departments etc. We heard similar things from them: the website should make people and processes more visible.
Then there was the critical work of collecting, assembling, editing and publishing. working closely with all these groups to bring together the right amount and type of content. This meant digging through archives to consolidate and audit information, developing support platforms to streamline content flow, and revisiting several projects to see how we could leverage previously shared content. The effort continues — the site is a living and changing entity connected to a constant stream of new content.
DB: You have stated that “in addition to enriching projects with images, drawings, texts and videos, the site reveals extensive and sometimes surprising connections to the world of practice.” How is this achieved and can you give us some examples?
SD: The site creates links between all aspects of the practice—features such as the About section on each project page and a powerful global search function allow users to jump between strands they may find interesting.
For example, starting from his project page 56 Leonard St, a user can visit a specific team member’s profile page, continue by searching for H&dM’s New York office, from there discover a museum project in the United States that they might not have seen before, and then learn more about our approach in cultural spaces in general and so on. Therefore, each content excursion is very specific to a visitor’s individual interests, again relating to the wide range of people who might use the H&dM website.
project information:
name: herzogdemeuron.com
architects: Herzog de Meuron
programmer: Rasso Hilber
in cooperation with: Fertig Design, the Kabinett
