News EPFL

Three public spaces at the intersection of science and art

Published:03.11.16 — The new ArtLab building, designed by Kengo Kuma, is being inaugurated today at EPFL. Three distinct spaces are united below a 250 meter long slate roof, each dedicated to fostering the dialogue between science and culture. Federal councilor Alain Berset will be present at the inauguration ceremony along with Patrick Aebischer, president of EPFL, and the partners of the project.

Preserve the Alps by giving up the chalets

Published:01.11.16 — Winter resorts will need to increase their density to prevent their decline, according to a PhD thesis in architecture. PhD student Fiona Pià offers concrete and innovative solutions for Verbier, a typical example of the problems that winter resorts face today.

A Composite Thread that Varies in Rigidity

Published:27.10.16 — EPFL scientists have developed a new type of composite thread that varies in stiffness depending on its temperature. Applications range from multifunctional robots to knitted casts, and even tunable medical devices.

A 10 million euro round of financing for the start up Coorpacademy

Published:26.10.16 — Coorpacademy, a startup based in EPFL’s Innovation Park, has completed a 10 million euro round of financing. The company specializes in online training for companies, and its plans now include expanding more quickly in Europe and doubling its workforce in the next 18 months.

Student innovation from Lausanne to China

Published:24.10.16 — Twenty-five students from EPFL, UNIL and ECAL recently took part in the second China Hardware Innovation Camp, organized by EPFL’s College of Humanities. Their goal was to develop innovative prototypes ranging from connected bicycle helmets to virtual drumsticks.

Students design a car-free Lausanne

Published:21.10.16 — A master's project in architecture redesigns downtown Lausanne, setting out the key steps that could enable the city to free itself of cars by 2035. Similar initiatives are underway in other European cities.

Turning biofuel waste into wealth in a single step

Published:20.10.16 — Lignin is a bulky chain of molecules found in wood and is usually discarded during biofuel production. But in a new method by EPFL chemists, the simple addition of formaldehyde could turn it into the main focus.