Biel/Bienne campus
BFH is to merge its technical disciplines at a new Biel/Bienne campus, centrally situated next to Biel railway station. This move will create an efficient teaching and research environment for the two departments TI and AHB, in shared, cutting-edge premises that meet all of today’s expectations of a place of teaching, learning, research and work.
Project
BFH has grown steadily since its foundation in 1997 and is now spread over 26 locations in three regions. The aim of the campus project in Biel is to concentrate technical disciplines on one site. Today, these are spread across 10 locations in the Bern, Biel and Burgdorf regions. The new Biel/Bienne campus will allow BFH to make use of synergies in teaching and research and increase its competitive edge.
The campus is to be built on the ‘Feldschlössli’ site near Biel railway station. The construction project is based on the winning project ‘Trèfle’ by pool architects from Zurich. Excavation work began in early 2018, along with parallel archaeological digs in the area.
However, the project has since been delayed: firstly by legal wrangling, and secondly by the temporary suspension of the tendering process for a general contractor. An external report has since clarified the reasons behind the suspension. Plans for a project relaunch are now underway.
It currently appears that construction work on the Biel/Bienne campus will commence in 2022, with a view to opening the campus in autumn 2025. The launch was originally scheduled for autumn 2022. However, if the legal disputes continue, it could be delayed still further. Provisions have been made for interim use of the site until construction work begins.
