The Underground Future Lab
At the foot of the mountain Alvier and right beside the stream Hagerbach lies the inconspicuous entrance to The Underground Future Lab – a fascinating underground world. Visionary master builders and scientists from all over the world find answers to the pressing questions of our time.
The Underground Future Lab – Hagerbach Test Gallery is a unique place where research, development, and innovation take place beneath the surface. A multitude of laboratories, tunnels, caverns, test fields, and training rooms offer ideal conditions for events of all kinds.
Why research underground?
As a nationally recognised research infrastructure The Underground Future Lab – Hagerbach Test Gallery has been providing the space, expertise and operational environment to turn visions into innovations for over 50 years.
Since its designation in 2025 as a research infrastructure of national importance, the facility has continued to evolve. This includes the establishment of the Hagerbach Foundation, which co-finances selected research infrastructure investments and strengthens long-term research and innovation activities at the site.
Research underground enables innovation under realistic, controlled and repeatable conditions that cannot be achieved on the surface. Shielded from weather, external interference and urban constraints, the underground environment offers exceptional stability, safety and scalability.
unlimited infrastructure possibilities
Across 5 km and 25,000 m² of tunnels, laboratories, caverns and test fields projects are developed, validated and demonstrated.
from concept to full-scale testing
Projects range from early-stage research to full-scale testing and validation, bridging the gap between scientific insight and practical application.
Open Access
With its new organisation the Underground Future Lab offers a transparent management and support structure for researchers to establish long lasting collaboration in a broad field of activities.
The Underground Future Lab is a recognized Swiss research facility promoting scientific excellence and openness to scientists from various domains including respect for FAIR principles.
We invite academia and industry to jointly develop research projects in our unique underground facility, offering a modular adaptable infrastructure for large scale prototyping and material testing. Be it for ongoing research projects or future structured programmes (Swiss, European, and others), the Underground Future Lab is your partner for dedicated research underground, offering the possibility to push the boundaries and deliver solutions for current societal challenges!
resource-efficient environment
The Underground Future Lab contributes to selected UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our activities directly support innovation and resilience in critical systems that shape the future of energy, cities and climate action.
Affordable and Clean Energy
Underground conditions enable the testing of energy technologies such as storage systems, energy efficiency solutions and resilient energy infrastructure — independent of weather and surface constraints.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
With 25,000 m² of tunnels, laboratories and test fields, the Underground Future Lab provides a nationally significant research infrastructure that bridges the gap between scientific research and real-world application.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Urban underground space plays a key role in future-ready cities. Research at the Underground Future Lab supports safe, resilient and sustainable infrastructure for transportation, utilities and civil protection.
Climate Action
By enabling climate-relevant research under controlled and reproducible conditions, the Underground Future Lab supports the development of solutions for mitigation, adaptation and long-term climate resilience.
In Focus
Partnerships with Researchers from Industry and Science
Cooperation with tertiary research institutions (research universities, universities, universities of applied sciences) offers a unique opportunity to develop solutions together with industry partners. These collaborations strengthen Switzerland’s innovation potential contribute to a regenerative and sustainable way of living.
Discover the underground future lab
Further activities at VSH
In addition to its role as a research infrastructure, The Underground Future Lab Hagerbach supports a range of complementary activities. These include construction material testing, fire and safety training exercises, as well as its use as a unique underground venue for events, training programmes and specialist gatherings. Together, these activities strengthen knowledge transfer, practical application and public engagement.
Training & Testing
An optimal environment to test, exercise and present under full-scale conditions.
Gastronomy & event location
A unique event location and lots of group activities.
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