Barbara Buser (Zúrich, 29 de abril de 1938) is a Swiss architect trained at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich). She began her professional career in the 1960s, during the height of the European economic recovery, and spent ten years working in Africa, an experience that broadened her perspective on architecture in diverse contexts. Her work quickly began to reflect a critical view of the indiscriminate consumption of materials and the environmental impact of the sector, anticipating debates that are central today.
She has developed a pioneering career focused on sustainability, the reuse of materials, and the social responsibility of architecture, demonstrating a material ethic based on reducing resource use and extending the lifespan of buildings.
In 1989, she co-founded Bauteilbörse Basel, a marketplace for reclaimed building components from demolition sites. In 1996, together with Klara Kläusler, she founded the first "component exchange" in Basel, facilitating the reuse of materials and components. This pioneering initiative in Switzerland fostered a culture of reuse that challenges the linear model of produce-use-demolish and promotes a circular logic, where each element retains value beyond its first use—an action now known as "urban mining."
In 1998, together with Eric Honegger, she founded baubüro in situ AG, and in 2022, Wegwarte AG, solidifying her commitment to sustainable architecture. Her dedication to reuse has made her a leading figure in international architecture, inspiring new generations of professionals toward more responsible and virtuous models.
Her commitment to low-impact architecture was exemplified in the office building and cultural center for the Umwelt Arena in Spreitenbach, developed in collaboration with Zirkular GmbH. Conceived as a built manifesto, the project incorporates a high proportion of reused materials—structures, joinery, and installations—demonstrating the compatibility between architectural quality, resource efficiency, and material traceability.
Currently, Barbara Buser is responsible, as the future tenant, for the sustainable development of the Franck Areal, a project that reflects her vision of adaptable, demountable architecture designed for future deconstruction. Recognized with numerous awards in the field of sustainability, she is now a key figure in the European debate on the circular economy and architecture.
