Exhibition on Roche Architecture and Graphic Design in Riga, Latvia

From September 13 to November 23, 2025, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga, Latvia, will host the exhibition "Courage and Care. Architecture and Design: The Roche Vision." This exhibition will explore Roche's pioneering approach to architecture and graphic design, highlighting the profound connection between scientific advancement and cultural values. It aims to showcase how Roche's leadership fostered bold thinking, tolerance, and care, not only in pharmaceutical science but also in the meticulous creation of a precise and high-quality visual identity. Roche empowered leading architects and graphic designers, granting them creative freedom and the opportunity to innovate, which laid the foundation for the company's distinctive corporate image.

For the first time, the Latvian public will have access to unique materials from the Roche Archives in Basel. These include a rich collection of photographs, original sketches, architectural drawings, and a kaleidoscopic selection of printed works. A central narrative of the exhibition revolves around the work of two significant architects: Aleksandrs Klinklāvs from Latvia and Otto Rudolf Salvisberg from Switzerland. Both architects shared a deep commitment to modernist functionalism, striving to create architecture precisely tailored to the company's evolving needs. Klinklāvs designed Roche's first functionalist-style building outside Switzerland (Miera Street 25, Riga) between 1932 and 1933, intended as both a factory and office. Currently the Roche Latvia affiliate is based in a historic building. Salvisberg was the architect behind Roche's first functionalist building in Basel, Building 21 – the administrative headquarters, completed in 1936. Both structures are unified by an austere architectural language and functionality rooted in modernist logic.

Another crucial element of the exhibition is Roche's innovative history in developing the graphic design identity of its products. The exhibition will feature informational leaflets produced between the 1930s and 1970s, notable for their strong metaphors, diverse artistic techniques, and high-quality printing. These pieces vividly illustrate the evolution of 20th-century graphic design, showcasing the contributions of leading artists within Roche's Graphics Department, such as Max Breitschmid, Theo Ballmer, and the legendary Jan Tschichold, a pioneer of photomontage, typographer, and book designer.

The exhibition powerfully demonstrates how Roche, as one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, has consistently championed modernism, rational architecture, and expressive design. This commitment is evident in our landmark buildings across Basel, Latvia, and globally, as well as in the distinctive graphic design publications created by our Graphics Department.

A comprehensive program of accompanying events will provide deeper insights into the exhibition's themes. On the opening day, September 13, at 13:00, Alexander L. Bieri, Roche representative and curator of the historical collection and archives, will deliver a lecture titled "Roche and the Arts – A Legacy of Commitment." An open guided tour of the exhibition in English will also be available, offering further exploration of the displayed works and their historical context.