Bibliothèque de l’Institut Suisse de Droit Comparé

March 8, 2026 In Libraries

The Swiss Institute of Comparative Law (Institut suisse de droit comparé ISDC) was established in 1978. It is located on the campus of the University of Lausanne in a building designed by university architect Guido Cocchi, completed in 1981 and inaugurated in 1982.

A modern library interior with bookshelves on both sides, a central staircase leading down to a study area, and large windows and a skylight allowing natural light to fill the space. People are seated at tables working.
The Swiss Institute of Comparative Law library regularly welcomes researchers from Switzerland and other countries.

Built on the side of a small ravine, the building originally had only two floors. The top floor, with its generous fenestration on all four sides, was added in 1998.

A modern library interior with high ceilings, bookshelves, large windows, and people reading and working at tables. Multiple lamps and books are on the tables, and a clock hangs from the ceiling at the center of the room in front of a skylight.
The bright library space occupies a large portion of the ISDC building.

The core of the building is occupied by the institute’s library. Its research collection comprises over 2000 periodicals and 360,000 monographs in 60 languages, spanning jurisdictions around the world.

People sit and study at tables in a library, surrounded by shelves filled with books, some with Chinese text on the spines. The library has a modern, well-lit interior with a high ceiling.
The collection contains monographs and periodicals in 60 different languages.
A person turns the handle of a movable shelving unit in a library, with rows of shelves filled with books on both sides and carts for transporting books along the aisle.
Movable shelves in the lower level.
A person ascends a staircase in a modern library filled with bookshelves, book carts, and signage. There's a book cart in the front.
The collection is spread on three levels.
A two-story modern building with large windows and a gray roof, surrounded by landscaped gardens and bushes. The text "l'ISDC" is written on the building.
Designed by university architect Guido Cocchi, the ISDC building integrates well within the University of Lausanne campus.

The images shown here were taken in October 2025. Thank you to the ISDC staff for their welcome!

References

798093 Bibliothèque ISDC UNIL 1 apa 50 creator asc title 19139 https://thomasguignard.photo/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
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Christin, J. (1998). Lieu unique en Europe. Uniscope, (333), 7.
Création de l'Institut suisse de droit comparé. (1982). Revue internationale de droit comparé, 34(2), 423–423.



Content note

Library detail pages are primarily a place for me to collect information I gather on the libraries I visit, and are frequently updated. None of this should be considered authoritative, I am not an architect, nor a historian. If you notice something incorrect, please let me know!



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