Just outside Zurich, on the site once occupied by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung printing press, Baumschlager Eberle Architekten has completed 2226 JED, a mixed-use hub combining offices, laboratories and a variety of amenities. Designed for JED (Join. Explore. Dare.), the building is the largest to date constructed using the 22-26 architectural principle, a low-tech approach that eliminates conventional heating, cooling and mechanical ventilation while maintaining indoor comfort.
Design and floorplan
The sharply geometric, lime-rendered complex consists of three interconnected volumes. Building J, a reimagination of the former printing plant, Building E, which repurposes an administrative block, and Building D, an entirely new construction. The complex is complemented by protected courtyards on the ground floor and terraces on the upper levels.
Inside, the floorplan is deliberately flexible, with large spans and layouts that can be repurposed for different uses without structural modifications or demolition. In addition to the forward thinking of the layout, the building was planned so that its many components could be taken apart and reused at end of life.
22-26
Developed by Professor Dietmar Eberle, the 22‑26 principle is a sustainable, low-energy approach that maintains indoor temperatures between 22 and 26 degrees celsius without conventional heating or cooling. Ventilation is provided by automated louvre windows that respond to CO2 levels and temperature. The building’s 75 cm-thick exterior walls provide substantial thermal mass and help stabilise indoor temperatures. These are punctuated by recessed glazing: the windows are designed to provide natural shading, helping to balance the need for daylight with passive cooling. An on-site photovoltaic system will generate around 260 MWh of renewable electricity annually, helping to lower the remaining operational carbon emissions of the complex.
New materials and circularity
Construction materials further reinforce the building’s sustainability ambitions. Zirkulit concrete, used for the main structure, is a circular material that incorporates a high proportion of recycled content and chemically binds CO2 through mineral carbonation. This approach stores approximately 83 tonnes of CO2 within the building itself while maintaining structural integrity and contributing to thermal performance.
Sustainability credentials
2226 JED is not the first 22‑26 project, but its scale makes it an interesting step in low‑tech, climate-conscious architecture. It demonstrates how innovation doesn’t always require advanced technology, but rather the use of thermal mass, passive ventilation and inventive takes on traditional materials. The project has been recognised for its environmental performance, receiving the SNBS Gold sustainability certification and the Austrian Green Planet Building (AGPB) Award 2025.
