Last week, Richemont opened the doors to its long-awaited Campus Genevois de Haute Horlogerie (CGHH) in Meyrin, Geneva. The company notes that this project—which was announced in 2010—was created out of the company’s desire to promote collaboration and interaction between members of the industry.
As such, the CGHH is intended to be a forum for discussion and education, as well as a vehicle for the promotion of Haute Horlogerie professions. Currently, the campus is made up of five buildings, which have a combined surface area of 45,000 square metres. The site houses around a thousand employees at this time, with that figure rising to 1200 by 2020.
The site is presently home to Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Roger Dubuis, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vacheron Constantin. Additionally, the Atelier de Maroquinerie, a research and production laboratory for alligator leather straps; the headquarters of Richemont Europe; and the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie are also housed there, with a polishing workshop due to open its doors in the near future.
The CGHH also acts a hub for research and training activities, with the Ecole des Métiers et Artisans de Haute Horlogerie—which provides training, certification and qualifications for a variety of different users—on-site.
Architects DePlanta & Portier are the masterminds behind the gorgeous new facility. A total of 60 companies were involved in building the premises, which cost a total of CHF 180 million. The campus has been constructed on the principles of sustainable development, using 100% renewable energy with zero carbon emissions.
The facility is open to other companies and bodies outside the Richemont Group, and its substantial footprint will easily accommodate further extensions in the future.
