25+2 Birthday Trip
Christmas comes but once a year! However, the unpopular pandemic forced us to challenge traditions and celebrate our 25th office anniversary in a fittingly belated manner. After years short of encounters, a two-day birthday trip was intended to give all staff members plenty of space and time for personal exchange, in order to invoke the much-cited team spirit.
At Altdorf railway station, the first stop on our tour, the travelling party from the direction of Zurich, Lucerne and Lausanne converged. We chose this starting point for our tour for a good reason. Only recently, the new station building and headquarters of Urner Kantonalbank was put into operation here. A Lüchinger+Meyer model project: competition success, sophisticated structures and building envelopes, cross-location cooperation, structural and façade designers working together. We were pleased to see the successful execution of the building, both inside and out, and the meticulous attention to detail. Stefan Herrmann, project manager of Buchner Bründler Architekten, gave us the necessary theoretical background with his introductory lecture. Before that, the office’s founder Daniel Meyer traced the 25+2 Lüchinger+Meyer years from their beginnings to the present day in his project- and anecdote-rich opening presentation.
Afterwards, the MS Dragon awaited us at the boat harbour in Flüelen. In beautiful summer weather, which made the surrounding water glow turquoise blue, our course took us in a wide arc across Lake Lucerne. The ship set sail, DJane Monica Babilon set the records, our impressive birthday cake sweetened the trip, and our celebratory mood grew from nautical mile to nautical mile …
In his speech at the harbour in Stansstad, Paul Lüchinger also praised the decision to found the office with Daniel in retrospect as a “good idea” for himself and all the employees who are committed to building culture under the Lüchinger+Meyer umbrella.
We then went up to the picturesquely situated Handeck Hotel and Nature Resort at the foot of the Grimsel Pass. Here we found a charming location for the night and were treated to a feast with a surprise gourmet menu, which brought the first part of the birthday trip to a fitting conclusion.
The programme of the second day was dominated by two guided tours, which gave us planners an impressive view beyond the horizon. On the Grimsel Pass we marvelled at the construction work for the new Spitallamm dam. We learned about the special climatic and construction challenges of dam building at this location and the importance of hydropower for the security of supply in the country.
Afterwards, a generous lunch awaited us at the Hotel Bären Guttannen and two experts. Geomorphologist Markus Zimmermann and Damian Stoffel, Head of Flood Protection at the Civil Engineering Office of the Canton of Bern, illustrated the local effects of climate change using the example of debris flow events in the Spreitgraben. Their knowledgeable explanations accompanied our short hike down the valley, past the mighty scree slopes that changed the landscape so profoundly. A heavy downpour hit us on the walk and gave us a momentary glimpse of the power that water can develop in the mountains.
Many thanks to all the organisers, speakers and hosts for the preparation and realisation of our unforgettable birthday trip!
