The curvature of façades has been a design resource explored and used throughout different architectural styles. The Greeks already employed it to correct imperfections in human perception, and in the Baroque period it was elevated through the use of curves and counter-curves.
Contemporary architecture, with existing knowledge and materials that allow their execution, is now capable of creating fully curved façades with great visual impact. Its influence is such that the Bahrain Pavilion for the Osaka Expo is a curved, boat-shaped building.
This time, we present the One Roof project, located in the municipality of Bellevue, in Geneva, and designed for the Swiss bank Lombard Odier. The building stands as a particularly striking example of how a curved façade can completely transform the character of a corporate building.
One Roof – Maris Mezulis
A curved building under ‘one single roof’
The building is located in front of Lake Geneva, in southwestern Switzerland, at the intersection of a series of transport infrastructures that shape a complex landscape in the Bellevue area.
Given this context, the Herzog & de Meuron studio conceived the building as a large structure, whose curved façade wraps all interior volumes within a single continuous geometry.
The studio explains that the intention was to create “a building that functions as a compact campus,” while at the same time conveying the idea of a “cohesive organism.” The result is an extensive, low-rise building whose main feature is a smooth outer shell that appears to stretch like a continuous skin.
Open-plan layout – Maris Mezulis
This curvature makes it possible to integrate the different internal and functional modules, such as offices, meeting areas, training spaces, and common areas, without the exterior reflecting the programmatic complexity. In the team’s words, the façade acts as “a protective membrane that unifies” the bank’s functions under a single identity.
The curve also responds to its surroundings, softening the harsh angles of the highways and express roads surrounding the site and enhancing the perception of the building from multiple viewpoints.
Curved façades – Maris Mezulis
Inside, the open-plan layout encourages collaboration and sharing between teams—one of the bank’s key objectives in its spatial restructuring. The design incorporates large interior courtyards, elevated gardens, and shared spaces that promote interaction.
A new corporate culture and efficiency
Beyond its distinctive form, One Roof stands out for its emphasis on transparency and visual connection to the outside. Its large glazed surfaces are integrated into the curved façade, offering wide views over the landscape and reinforcing the bank’s philosophy of creating open and bright work environments.
View over Lake Geneva – Maris Mezulis
The studio highlights that the glass envelope “adapts to the curvature like a flexible skin,” allowing for formal continuity without compromising energy performance.
Likewise, the rounded geometry guides circulation and creates panoramic views over Lake Geneva (the largest lake in Western Europe), establishing a more harmonious visual transition with the surrounding environment.
Curved effect in the interior – Maris Mezulis
To meet contemporary corporate sustainability standards, the building incorporates natural ventilation systems, high-performance thermal panels, and a set of passive strategies that significantly reduce energy consumption.
The roof, which continues the curved geometry, hosts green areas that help regulate temperature and support urban biodiversity.
Beyond these functional requirements, the project expresses an architecture that seeks openness, clarity, and community, moving away from the typical corporate tower and embracing a more horizontal, accessible, and human presence.
This effect is intensified in the common areas, where spaces open organically, creating relaxation corners, informal work zones, and interconnected terraces.
All of this creates a more relaxed and collaborative environment which, according to the studio, aims to “foster communication and creativity” among workers.