KKL Luzern’s spectacular architecture, designed by Pritzker Prize winner Jean Nouvel, and the quality of its facilities set this venue apart from more traditional culture and convention centres. Its trademark is the common theme of culture, conferences and culinary choices – a complete experience orchestrated under the famous roof. The building is situated in the heart of Switzerland, only one hour by train from Zurich Airport, within walking distance of Lucerne’s finest hotels and a few sheltered steps from the international railway station. It is the perfect venue for premium events such as anniversary celebrations and award ceremonies, product launches, high-profile meetings and events, receptions and banquets.
Equipped for culture
The showpiece of the KKL Luzern is its renowned Concert Hall with 1,840 seats and acoustics by the late Russell Johnson that provide incredible sound and inspire the world`s leading conductors, orchestras and soloists to perform at their best. Leading conductors and artists from Claudio Abbado to David Zinmann, from Cecilia Bartoli to Keith Jarrett and Jethro Tull have been and are inspiring a wide audience.
Breaking with convention
The impressive Concert Hall with its multifunctional usage is also an exciting possibility for conventions. A wide screen, hidden above the stage, can be lowered for a range of awards, presentations and events. An excellent infrastructure, including simultaneous translation, is available for the most memorable conventions or meetings or live television broadcasts.
Framed by two water canals, the Lucerne Hall is a venue that is unique in its adaptability and convertibility from 200 up to 1,800 guests. It can be used for a variety of settings including presentations, congresses, concerts and banquets. With its state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities, variable height staging and mobile rostrum, all combined with the deliberately simple design of the hall, the organiser will find creative freedom to style the event. The adjacent Auditorium for an audience of up to 270 persons is equipped with a range of multifunctional congress installations and facilities, providing another attractive setting for conferences. Last but not least, event organisers increasingly discover and appreciate the Crystal Lounge, an attractive meeting point at the KKL Luzern. It boasts an oval-shaped bar that can be moved around the space, allowing for maximum flexibility and turning the lounge into a premier events venue.
Finest cuisine
The KKL Luzern offers organisers and guests a variety of catering and restaurant options. Tailored to any organiser’s specific needs, packages and offers include refreshing time-outs, cocktail receptions for networking, stand-up lunches, sit-down dinners, exclusive lounge experiences and a KKL flying dinner. The World Café and the Restaurant RED cover attractive casual and fine dining experiences and the Seebar is the ideal place to relax over a drink and snack.
St. Charles Hall
The St. Charles Hall, managed by the KKL Luzern, is the perfect addition to the modern culture and convention centre and provides an overall Lake Lucerne experience for conference and event planners. The neobaroque villa is situated right at the lakeshore and is within easy reach just 15 minutes by boat, train or bus from the KKL Luzern. Its facilities are ideal for management meetings, panel shows, anniversary celebrations, private parties and weddings, auctions, networking events and cocktail receptions.
Past, present and future…
Native of Lucerne, Hans E. Koch is CEO of the KKL Luzern Management AG since March 2011. Before he managed a number of luxury hotels in Japan, China, India and Switzerland. Just prior to joining the KKL Luzern he was General Manager of the Palace Hotel in Lucerne. Business Destinations caught up with him about the work of the convention centre.
What do you think is the value, the charisma of the KKL Luzern for the city of Luzern?
The decision to build the KKL Luzern in the late nineties meant a quantum leap for the city. It helped Lucerne to distance itself from the predominant mass tourism of the eighties and nineties and successfully developed an image of a renowned culture and business destination.
The KKL Luzern is state-of-the-art. It is home to the world-famous Lucerne Festival, the Lucerne Symphony orchestra and the art museum of Lucerne. Hence, the KKL brand enjoys today a very high reputation among leading conductors, orchestras, soloists, event organisers and business clients.
What strategy will you pursue for the future?
Together with our strategic partners Lucerne Festival, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and the art museum, we are committed to further strengthen our market leader position through sustainable quality of our product and services.
The centre’s future success and growth clearly also depends on creating offers and contents attractive to younger generations. Parallel to cultural highlights, we host different kinds of business events and conventions, representing approximately 25 percent of our total business. In our opinion, it is a segment with further growth potential, particularly for selected high-class and exclusive events like company jubilees, award nights, forums, marketing conventions etc.
Can you name a convention you experienced at the KKL Luzern which remains unforgettable?
Each congress, meeting and event is of a unique experience with its own charisma, content and audience. The series of yearly returning world-class forums such as the Swiss Marketing Day, the Swiss Media Forum, the Europa Forum and the World MedTech Forum and this year in particular the Adventure Travel World Summit. The combination of the building’s architecture and charming location on the shores of lake Lucerne are a highlight for congress participants in their own right.
Further information: +41 41 226 70 70; sales@kkl-luzern.ch; www.kkl-luzern.ch
