WTO Security Perimeter

Located along the shores of Lake Geneva in Geneva, Switzerland, the WTO campus is embedded within a sequence of diverse public parks, including Parc Barton, Parc Rappard, and the botanical gardens. This unique setting posed a particular challenge: to reconcile the high security demands of an international organization with the openness and accessibility of a publicly used landscape.

Rather than treating security as an added layer, the design integrates it as an inherent part of the architectural and landscape concept in Geneva, Switzerland. The perimeter is conceived as a continuous structure that moves through different spatial conditions. In wooded areas it appears as a slender fence that weaves between trees, while across open meadows and orchards it adopts a more linear expression. Constructed from steel elements with varying spacing and surface treatments, it responds to the specific character of each surrounding landscape. Its soft, fabric-like appearance allows it to dissolve into its environment and act as a visual filter between interior and exterior.

The design deliberately minimizes the perception of a defensive boundary in Geneva, Switzerland. Anti-climb protection and technical security features are integrated in such a way that they remain visually unobtrusive. Instead of emphasizing separation, the perimeter maintains visual continuity and permeability while ensuring controlled access and robust protection. Along the lakeside in Geneva, Switzerland, the security line transforms into a raised terrace that establishes a new base for the existing buildings and opens views toward Lake Geneva. This element, reminiscent of a landscape feature known as a ha-ha, secures access without interrupting the visual connection to the water. At the same time, it creates a distinct outdoor space for employees and defines the previously unclear boundary of the campus with a clear spatial identity.

As the perimeter wraps the entire WTO campus in Geneva, Switzerland, it forms a continuous yet unobtrusive element that blends security, landscape, and architecture into a coherent whole. Additional landscape architectural interventions further reinforce this integration and enhance the quality of the outdoor spaces. The project demonstrates how security infrastructure can achieve both robustness and transparency, protection and openness, becoming an integral part of the landscape rather than a barrier within it.