In 2001 we began with the idea of Swiss Performance, the issue at hand thus being the eleventh in a series that has proven highly successful. The attempt to review and take stock of the previous year’s most important buildings is highly appreciated by both domestic and foreign readers. Selections are subjective by definition, and a critical reading of the texts shows that not all buildings presented must be fully beyond the shadow of a doubt. They provide for topics of discussion in any case, which is one of our intentions.

The selection is difficult in light of the abundance and quality of buildings built in Switzerland or built abroad by Swiss architects. And some projects that could have been published in this issue have been published in past ones. We refer in particular to the Rolex Learning Center by SANAA in Lausanne (archithese 3 ’2010) and the Swiss Pavilion by Buchner Bründler at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai (archithese 4 ’ 2010). Further buildings of the past year will follow in upcoming issues: the auditorium at Plantahof in Landquart and the entrance to the Grand Council Building in Chur by Valerio Olgiati as well as the project 1111 Lincoln Road by Herzog & de Meuron in Miami.

As in past years, the typical archithese distinction between a thematic section and reports on contemporary architecture has been suspended in this issue in favor of the division into „Swiss Performance“ and „Swiss Unlimited“. In the latter section smaller or experimental projects can be found, once again.

The subsequent editions of the year follow the customary format: number two has „Surface“ and number three „Density“ as a respective theme. With number four („Criticism“) archithese celebrates its 40th anniversary, with an accompanying exhibition in the Zurich Architekturforum already in preparation. With the title „Let’s Go West“ in issue number five architects will be portrayed who turned their backs upon Europe in the 1920’s and 1930’s and began careers in the United States. „Celebratory Architecture“, suited to the Christmas season, will be featured in the last issue of the year.
The editors

04 Editorial

Architektur Aktuell
14 Manuel Herz Architects, Jüdisches Gemeindezentrum, Mainz
20 HHF Architekten, Labels 2, Berlin
24 Diener & Diener Architekten, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
28 Piotr Brzoza und Marcin Kwietowicz, Haus und Atelier für Monika Sosnowska, Warschau
32 Christ & Gantenbein architects, Swiss Church, London
34 Herzog & de Meuron, VitraHaus, Weil am Rhein
40 EM2N Architekten, Viaduktbögen, Zürich
46 Fuhrimann Hächler Architekten, Friedhofsgebäude, Erlenbach
50 Bosshard Vaquer Architekten, Tonhalle, St. Gallen
52 Lütjens Padmanabhan Architekten, Doppelhaus, Rüschlikon
56 huggenbergerfries Architekten, Heizzentrale, Lungern
60 Miller & Maranta Architekten, Altes Hospiz, St. Gotthard
64 Durisch  Nolli Architetti, SSIC, Gordola
68 merlini & ventura architectes, Badmintonhalle, Vevey
72 Made in Sàrl, Apartment, Genf

Swiss Unlimited
76 Tadashi Kawamata, Fischli/Weiss, Zellweger Park, Uster
78 Holzer Kobler Architekturen, Realstadt, Berlin
80 GREGO, Glasdiamant, Murten
82 Studio Tom Emerson ETHZ, «96 hands», Zürich
84 Chen, Leidi, Zausinger, Packed, Shanghai

Rubriken
85 Essay, Schweigende Lämmer | Adrian Meyer
88 Interview, «Eine Art Schweizer Trotz: Langlebigkeit» | Anne Kockelkorn im Gespräch mit pool Architekten
92 Junge Schweizer Architektinnen und Architekten, Bosshard Vaquer Architekten

96 fsai
97 Neues aus der Industrie
103 Lieferbare Hefte
104 Vorschau und Impressum