Leibstadt nuclear power plant

The Leibstadt nuclear power plant, situated directly on the Rhine on the Swiss-German border, went into service in 1984 after an eleven-year construction period. It is due to remain on the grid until 2045. An internal analysis identified a major requirement for additional operating space if the plant is to continue to generate power.

The latest technology has been used in the new safety centre which serves to monitor and guard the plant. The planning envisaged five further new buildings, the expansion or conversion of three existing buildings and the redesign of the surrounding area and car parks. The construction programme included offices, workshops, a chemistry laboratory, storage facilities and a staff restaurant.

The language of industrial architecture marks the building within the safety area. This specification is deliberately adopted in terms of form while the buildings outside the safety area are devoted to an architectural language corresponding to post-industrial standards and attaching great importance to transparency.

As the general planners, IttenBrechbühl took on the coordination, planning and construction management of the sub-projects. The complex technical demands of the operation - and particularly the safety requirements - posed significant challenges. The Swiss construction approval procedure which applied in this case, also represented an exacting hurdle.