Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto drew the idea for the Circle on a paper napkin. He was picturing a round shape, with the size being adapted towards the middle to match the shape of the site on the inside.
Born in 1945, Riken Yamamoto started his own architecture firm in 1973 after studying architecture. He is best known for designing the Yokosuka Museum of Art and high school buildings and large housing estates in China and South Korea. In 2024, he received the Pritzker Architecture Prize – the most prestigious architecture award in the world.
The Circle was officially opened at the start of November 2020 after five years of construction work. Even though it may look like one huge building, there is a wonderful meeting place with public walkways and squares hiding on the inside. The park spanning 80,000 m2 is a great place for visitors, employees, local residents and passengers to meet up and relax.
As the largest LEED Platinum certified building complex in Europe, the Circle embodies a vision of the future, fostering a community that is dedicated to innovation and new forms of collaboration.
The Circle is leading the way on sustainability. Not only is it the largest building in Switzerland to have been awarded Minergie certification, but it is also the highest rated LEED Platinum certified building. The roofs are covered with plants and solar panels, and around 1,000 energy piles supply the Circle with heating during the winter months.
The Circle is jointly owned by Flughafen Zürich AG (51%) and Swiss Life AG (49%).
