Corona Test Center, Kasernenareal, ZH

Department of Health, Canton of Zurich

When Experience Becomes Infrastructure

From planning to operation in just a few days—in the midst of a situation where additional testing capacity was urgently needed.

In 2020, we were commissioned by the Health Department of the Canton of Zurich to build and operate the Corona Test Center on the Zurich Barracks site as the general contractor.

On this centrally located site, a temporary infrastructure with five testing lanes and a capacity of up to 500 tests per day was established in a very short time. Clear visitor pathways, functional spatial layout, technical infrastructure, and high standards for hygiene and safety all had to come together to form a seamlessly functioning overall system.

From concept and general planning through event architecture, technology, and content production to event management, we brought expertise that normally makes events possible—and in this case, served a completely different purpose.

Already in the first two weeks, thousands of people used the new testing center. What had been just a plan a few days earlier thus became an important part of Zurich’s testing infrastructure.

An extraordinary project during extraordinary times. And one that demonstrated just how valuable it can be to quickly rethink existing expertise.

Respond quickly. Plan precisely. Enable responsibility.