A Tropical House - The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi

The Swiss Embassy in New Delhi is the architectural symbol of a special political relationship. Switzerland recognized India immediately after it became independent in 1947, and in 1948 was the first country to sign a treaty of friendship and establishment with the young democracy. The new embassy building in the diplomatic district of Chanakyapuri was officially opened in 1963, in the presence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Hans Hofmann (1897-1957) was directly commissioned to design the impressive building. With his experience in using the semantic potential of modern architecture to express 'Swissness' in large buildings, he enjoyed the reputation of being a national architect. His posthumously constructed embassy building in New Delhi is an outstanding example of prestige Swiss architecture in the twentieth century, but at the same time it also shows a deeper engagement with local cultural, constructional and climatic conditions. Against the background of today's 'global architecture', it is a model case.