In 2014, BIG won the architectural competition to expand the historic Audemars Piguet buildings in Switzerland. Ingalls and his team designed a spiral-shaped glass exhibition hall that complements the original workshop founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward August Piguet in 1875. The spiral structure appears to rise organically from the ground, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer expansive views of the Jura Mountains valley.
The project was developed by BIG in close collaboration with local firm CCHE and Audemars Piguet throughout design and construction. The spiral glass exhibition hall rests on structurally curved glass walls that blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The assembly of glass elements supports the steel roof, while an outer brass mesh regulates light and temperature. The green roof not only captures rainwater but also helps maintain indoor climate control.
Inside, the floor plan follows the natural terrain, extending along various slopes to shape the museum’s interior layout. The curved glass spirals clockwise towards the center and then extends in the opposite direction, guiding visitors through the space like the mainspring of a clock. Biak Ingalls remarks, “Watchmaking resembles architecture—it’s a scientific art that infuses energy, movement, intelligence, and precision into metals and minerals, bringing them to life as instruments of time.”
The facility serves both as a museum and a working space for Audemars Piguet’s watchmakers, featuring traditional workshops where visitors can observe craftsmen at work. The museum spans over two centuries of history and displays more than 300 watches, highlighting the brand’s expertise in complexity, miniaturization, and innovative design.
Jasmine Audemars Piguet, Chairperson of Audemars Piguet’s Board, expresses, “We hope visitors experience our heritage, adaptable philosophy, cultural roots, and openness to the world—all embodied in a building that reflects our traditions and forward-thinking spirit. Above all, we honor the watchmakers and craftsmen who have shaped Audemars Piguet through generations.”
German design studio ATELIER BRUCKNER conceptualized the museum’s layout as a musical score. Visitors are encouraged to engage with ancestral techniques preserved by Audemars Piguet’s experts, such as smooth, flat brushing and circular patterning. The exhibition culminates at the spiral’s center, showcasing grand and complex technologies, including astronomical watches and chronometers orbiting around the “Universelle (1899)”—the most intricate watch ever made by Audemars Piguet.
Within the same park, Audemars Piguet is also developing a new hotel, designed by BIG with local collaborator CCHE. The hotel is expected to open in summer 2021. The museum itself was scheduled to open on June 25, 2020.
Design Drawings
△ Plan view
△ Plan view
Project Information
Project Name: Audemars Piguet Museum Workshop
Location: Route de France 18, CH-1348 Le Brassus, Switzerland
Architectural Firm: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
Local Collaborators: CCHE Lausanne SA & CCHE la vallée SA
Structural Engineer: Dr. Lüchinger+Meyer Bauingenieure AG
Facade Consultant: Dr. Lüchinger+Meyer Bauingenieure AG
Facade Subcontractor: Frener & Reifer
Mechanical Engineer: Fondation Pierre, Church Ingenieurs Conseils SA
Lighting Consultant: Belzner Holmes Light Design
Set and Exhibition Design: ATELIER BRUCKNER GmbH
Total Exhibition Hall Area: 2,500 sqm
Exhibition Area: 900 sqm
Number of Structural Glass Panes: 108
Glass Support Load Capacity: Approximately 470 tons
Maximum Structural Glass Thickness: 12 cm
Manufacturing Time per Glass Panel: 3 weeks
Opening Date: June 25, 2020
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