Core Facilities

View from below of the spiral staircase at the OR-X

Core Facilities

1185m² of surgical research and training

Spaces shape how people work, train and collaborate. The architecture of the OR-X reflects this logic, transforming a former hospital bunker into a lifelike surgical environment where ideas are translated into practice.

Located within Balgrist University Hospital, visitors enter the OR-X through a separate entrance leading into the former hospital bunker. The upper floor includes reception, meeting and lounge areas for courses and project activities, while the lower floor houses the surgical infrastructure for research and training on human specimens in a realistic operative setting.

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Floor Plan

Upper Floor Lower Floor

Operating Room

  • Operating room fully equipped for surgical research and training at the OR-X
    Operating Room

    Designed for translational research and surgical innovation, the Operating Room provides research groups and industry partners with a realistic environment for data acquisition, prototype development, validation and product demonstrations. Procedures on human specimens, simulator-based training and hands-on sessions can be combined with live streaming and centrally controlled audio, video and data processing.

    The OR can operate independently or connect directly to the adjacent Skills Lab, allowing flexible setups for different project and training formats. A dedicated Control Room supports the management and recording of audiovisual and data streams through integration into the research network, the Brainlab BUZZ™ Digital O.R. solution and Balgrist Congress infrastructure.

  • Surgical team working with digital imaging and tracking technology in the OR-X operating room
    Surgical Features

    Designed to reflect the workflow of a real operating room, the OR offers a realistic environment for surgical research, development and training across 51 m². The room is equipped with a mobile operating table (Baxter PST 500 series), operating lights with integrated lamp camera (KLS Martin marLED® X) and the Brainlab BUZZ™ Digital O.R. solution. Wall-integrated displays and Full HD monitor systems complement the infrastructure, alongside mobile suction and electrosurgical units for a wide range of surgical procedures.

  • Technical Features

    The OR is designed to support a wide range of research and development workflows, allowing the integration of certified medical devices as well as experimental technologies and prototypes. Flexible ceiling and wall-mounted connection points enable the use of cameras, tracking systems and additional technical equipment depending on project requirements.

    Integrated access to the high-performance research network and NVIDIA server infrastructure supports centralized data processing and management during experiments and training activities. Pre- and intra-operative information can be visualized through the Brainlab BUZZ™ Digital O.R. environment and a combination of wall-integrated and ceiling-mounted display systems.

Skills Lab

  • Skills Lab with six working stations tailored for surgical training courses at the OR-X
    Skills Lab

    Focused on surgical education and hands-on training, the Skills Lab offers a realistic environment for courses and workshops on human specimens. Up to six flexible workstations allow parallel training across a wide range of surgical disciplines, giving medical professionals the opportunity to practice techniques, repeat procedures, and build confidence under near-clinical conditions. The space supports both smaller training sessions and larger course formats, including hybrid trainings and live streaming in combination with the adjacent Operating Room and the Balgrist Congress infrastructure.

  • Surgical training session with multiple teams working in the OR-X skills lab
    Surgical Features

    Covering 85 m², the Skills Lab provides up to six flexible surgical workstations for parallel hands-on training and educational formats. The infrastructure supports a wide range of surgical disciplines and can be adapted depending on specific course and training requirements.

    Each workstation is equipped with a mobile operating table, operating lights and integrated display systems to create a realistic surgical training environment. Additional infrastructure includes mobile suction units, electrosurgical devices and the Brainlab BUZZ™ Digital O.R. solution for visualization and teaching purposes.

Meeting & Congress Infrastructure

Meeting & Congress Infrastructure

Whether for briefings, discussions between sessions or larger educational formats, the OR-X offers meeting and congress spaces with various catering options that complement everyday project activities. Within our infrastructure, a meeting room for up to 20 participants and a smaller breakout space create a welcoming setting for exchange and collaboration. 

For larger courses, conferences and hybrid formats, additional seminar rooms and an auditorium with up to 145 seats are available through the Balgrist Congress infrastructure.

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Gallery Core Facilities

Meeting Room
Meeting Room
Changing Room
Changing Room
Washing Station
Washing Station
Human Specimen Storage
Human Specimen Storage
Breakout Room
Breakout Room
Control Room
Control Room
Reception
Reception