ZHAW opens center for health professions

The ZHAW is giving a new “architecturally unique” home to health education in Winterthur. According to a university press release, the new building will accommodate more than 2,000 students and around 300 members of staff. Here, nursing staff, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, midwives as well as health promotion and prevention specialists will receive their training. The building is named in honor of Adeline Favre, a pioneer of midwifery in Switzerland. 

The most striking feature of the new facility is its enclosed inner courtyard, which consists of various blocks offset over different floors in a way that creates numerous plazas and terraces. These help foster more open communication. “Architecture plays a big part in how we work together. It helps create spaces in which we congregate with others,” explained Head of the Building Department, Martin Neukom. “I would like the ZHAW to have more spots for coming together like this,” said ZHAW President Jean-Marc Piveteau. “Places where encounters can lead to innovation.”

Haus Adeline Favre will also be of benefit to the local population. From January 2021, the Thetriz outpatient treatment, training and advisory center will offer various services as part of the student training. On account of the coronavirus pandemic, the Open Day has been postponed for a year and will now take place on 2 October 2021.