House of Switzerland • London 2012
During the Summer Olympic Games in London in 2012 the House of Switzerland provided the venue for a creative and innovative take on Switzerland. A total of 3,000 m2 of exhibition space presented the typical Swiss clichés from a playful angle and surprised the public with some of the less well-known aspects of the country.
For 24 days, from July 20 to August 12, 2012, the public, Swiss athletes, journalists, artists, and decision-makers from the economic, political, and scientific communities gathered at the House of Switzerland, located on the banks of the Thames near London Bridge, in the heart of London, in existing facilities. A 3,000-square-meter space had been transformed for the occasion into a bustling “Red Zone,” where visitors discovered a multifaceted, creative, and entertaining Switzerland, one capable of playing on its own stereotypes while surprising visitors by revealing aspects of its character that are both typical and yet little known. Highlights included ceremonies honoring Swiss medalists, including Roger Federer, daily open-air concerts by Swiss bands, Swiss Creative Day on July 23, Swiss National Day on August 1, the Bernese Games on August 4 and 5, and visits by three Federal Councilors. The permanent attractions were also a huge success: 3,000 people scaled the “Eiger North Face” in Switzerland Tourism’s “Qualification Park” in an attempt to win a trip to Switzerland. Some 15,000 visitors immersed themselves in the world of Swiss video game developers in the Swiss Game Lounge. As for Mosimann, the catering partner, it served food and drinks to 35,000 people.
Switzerland maintained a presence in London during the Paralympic Games at the restaurant La Cave, located just a few meters from the site of the former House of Switzerland. The venue, transformed into the “Swiss Fan Zone,” hosted Swiss athletes and their fans from August 30 to September 10.
Some pictures from the event
