Roche Continents

Interview with Matthias M. Baltisberger

Head of the Roche Basel Site, Switzerland

Ever since the company was founded, Roche has been dedicated not only to the development of novel medicines and innovative healthcare solutions, but also to cultural life. Members of the founder’s family have always been keen patrons of contemporary cultural projects, supporting music and the visual arts in particular, but also architecture. They were aware that inspiration, creativity and innovation are central to science, as well as to the arts; that both scientists and artists are driven by the desire to make discoveries, the courage to break new ground and the curiosity to explore uncharted territory; and that these characteristics are vital to the success of a company like Roche. For this reason, Roche has a long tra-dition of fostering innovative artistic forms of expression which break the mould. Roche’s commitment to the arts began with Maja Hoffmann-Stehlin – the daughter-in-law of Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, who founded the company. In 1934, she married the musician and conductor Paul Sacher, and for several decades the couple supported artists, composers and architects by means of acquisitions and commissions. They were thus instrumental in establishing Basel’s reputation as a centre of the arts.

Architecture: fascinating symbiosis of functionality and aesthetics

Another leading early supporter of the arts was the legendary company head Emil Christoph Barell, who held the reins at Roche between 1920 and 1953 and, in partnership with Otto Salvisberg, helped to define the company’s architectural idiom. Barell was opposed to traditional forms of industrial self-expression and asked Salvisberg to seek architectural solutions reflecting the functionality of the interiors. Modern administrative buildings and production facilities were constructed in Basel, Milan and Welwyn Garden City (UK). Since then, Roche has remained faithful to this approach both in the architectural field and in the arts. With unconventional, pioneering buildings designed by Herzog & de Meuron (research Building 92, 2000; biotech production centre Building 95, 2007) and Mario Botta (Tinguely Museum, 1996), this architectural tradition has been pursued down to the present day.

Arts and music at the “Tinguely”

To mark the company’s centenary in 1996, Roche established the Tinguely Museum. Fully funded by Roche, it still represents the Basel healthcare company’s most significant commitment in the cultural sphere, housing the world-renowned Swiss artist’s clattering, squeaking, creaking machine sculptures. The museum – seeking to appeal to a wide audience, including families and schools, but also connoisseurs and specialists – has become a key pillar of Basel’s cultural life. It is the venue for monthly concerts, known as the “Roche ’n’ Jazz” events, organised by Roche in cooperation with the Basel “Bird’s Eye” jazz club and the museum. Roche also actively supports classical music: since 2003, under the “Roche Commissions” programme, the company – in partnership with the Lucerne Festival, the Cleveland Orchestra and Carnegie Hall – has commissioned works from outstanding contemporary composers. In addition, Roche is collaborating with the Salzburg Festival on the “Continents...” series, a cultural project in the contemporary music field, allow-ing students of science and music to discover the worlds of sound created by major composers of the 21st century. This joint project is designed to enable young European students in particular to attend contemporary music concerts in the city of Mozart’s birth. The aim of the project is to uncover and highlight the links between innovation in music, art and science. The company has also launched the “Roche Continents – Youth! Arts! Science!” programme, which will give students of science, music and the arts the opportunity to spend a week in Salzburg exploring various aspects of art and science at a series of work-shops.

Supporting the arts: part of corporate culture

Roche is convinced that its support for non- mainstream contemporary culture enriches employees’ daily lives, providing intellectual stimulation and thus helping to keep the traditional pioneering spirit alive at Roche. This ongoing commitment to cultural projects, which is part of the corporate culture, com-bines innovation and inspiration in a unique way and sets Roche off from other companies. At the same time, these cultural achievements and activities display another facet of the healthcare company Roche: they are a sign of dynamism, originality and belief in progress, and they attract skilled employees and an international audience, thereby ultimately enhancing the attractiveness and economic prosperity of the city of Basel.

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