In 2019, Christoph J. Hürlimann from the canton of Uri bought the former “Sackmagazin” by architect Robert Maillart on the Werkmatt site in Uri. Hürlimann, who founded the “Art Depot” foundation based in Göschenen with his family, previously owned the neighboring “Silomagazin” by the architect Eduard Züblin.
At a media briefing together with Uri’s director of economics, Urban Camenzind Christoph Hürlimann gave an insight into his plans after his purchase in 2019: “My vision is to build an art path in Uri. This should begin at the Haus für Kunst Uri in Altdorf, continue to the Altdorf art silo and art depot in Werkmatt Uri, via the Göschenen art depot and end in the Sasso San Gottardo Museum on the Gotthard Pass. With the purchase of the former sack magazine, this vision has come a little closer.» Camenzind was also pleased with the sale: “The purchase of the building by Christoph Hürlimann is a stroke of luck for the canton of Uri.”
Hürlimann now uses the two listed buildings on the Werkmatt site to store and exhibit various collections of art objects. In recent years he has developed the two historic buildings into a meeting place for cultural, artistic and social uses. This change of use enhances both the two historically significant buildings and the entire area. A lot of work was required to prepare the former sack magazine for its new use: “We had to carry out a variety of work: expand the stairwell as an escape route, retrofit electrical installations, install many partitions, do various painting work, make security installations, attach burglary protection,” says Hürlimann .
The Werkmatt Uri in the Eyschachen area southwest of the Altdorf train station is one of the last large land reserves in the Uri valley floor. The 12 hectare area is located between the railway tracks and the A2 Gotthard motorway. More than 100 years ago, the first uses that required a direct rail connection were created there: the most prominent examples are the two federal grain stores built in 1912 and 1913 by the architects Eduard Züblin and Robert Maillart.
«During the journey from Göschenen to Andermatt you can see and feel the power of these rough and massive rocks. It’s a sight I’ll never forget,” says Samih Sawiris, Egyptian visionary and investor, on his first trip to Andermatt. During his visit in 2005, he was supposed to support the Uri government as an advisor in making Andermatt more attractive again after the withdrawal of the Swiss army. But he quickly decided to develop a tourism project for Andermatt himself.
High level of construction activity in recent years This first visit to Andermatt is now 17 years ago. Andermatt is now in the middle of developing into a prime alpine destination. In the Andermatt Reuss district of the village, 15 apartment buildings were in operation at the beginning of the year, three under construction and several in the planning stage. In addition to the apartment buildings, there are two hotels: The Chedi Andermatt in the village center opened in 2013 and the Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen in 2018. The Gotthard Residences, apartments with hotel service, are connected to the Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen. In accordance with the sustainability principle of the Andermatt Swiss Alps, Andermatt Reuss is car-free, all houses are built to low-energy standards and the electricity comes from renewable sources.
How it all started The vision for the tourist destination was presented to the population of the Ursern Valley at the end of 2005. In March 2007, the municipality of Andermatt approved with 96% yes votes. As a result, the Swiss army sold a majority of the areas used for military purposes. The Andermatt Reuss part of the village is now being built on this ground. International architectural competitions were announced for the apartment buildings and the design of the master plan.
As a unique project of this scope and because of its national importance, the Federal Council exempted it from the Lex Koller in 2007, which also approved the district design plan.
In addition to real estate and the hotel industry, the tourist offer in the Ursern Valley is also being expanded. At the same time, Andermatt Swiss Alps AG took over the ski area in order to expand and modernize it. Over the course of three years, lifts were renewed or newly created and a continuous network of 120 km of slopes up to Sedrun was realised. Together with Disentis there are even 180 kilometers of pistes.
Year-round destination Andermatt New offers are also being created for the summer months. The Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course opened in 2015. This was awarded the globally recognized GEO certification. The 18-hole golf course was awarded Swisstainable Level III, leading by Switzerland Tourism. The cultural offer in Andermatt was supplemented in mid-2019 by the highest concert hall in the Alps. The Andermatt concert hall was designed by Studio Seilern Architects under the direction of Christina Seilern. A further 20,000 m2 of the infrastructure base is currently being created in order to build the next houses and hotels. A total of 42 apartment buildings, 6 four- and five-star hotels and several villas are planned.
Best location directly on the European north-south axis The most direct connection between Europe’s south and north has always been through Uri, but no later than the construction of the legendary Devil’s Bridge in 1230. Since the opening of the Gotthard railway tunnel in 1882, fast transport of people and goods has also been guaranteed by rail. And in 2016, a new work of the century went into operation with the Gotthard base tunnel: since then, Uri has been connected to the south by the longest railway tunnel in the world (57 km).
With the commissioning of the cantonal train station in Altdorf in 2021, the south and north moved even closer to Uri: Lugano can now be easily reached in 50 minutes, Milan in two hours and Zurich in one hour with direct connections.
The central location of the Uri site with advantageous connections at a glance.
Optimal cost environment Uri not only impresses with its advantageous location, but also with an attractive cost environment. On the one hand, the Gotthard canton combines several financial advantages for the benefit of the resident population: the tax burden, health insurance premiums and housing costs are relatively low. The proportion of properties with at least four rooms that can be afforded with a household income of CHF 134,000 is 31 percent on average in Switzerland in 2021. In Uri, this value is 40 to 50 percent. This underlines the attractive real estate prices in Uri. At the same time, the tax deduction options for families are well above the Swiss average. In this way, the people of Uri can freely dispose of around 50 percent of every franc they earn in Uri. In terms of disposable income and the financial attractiveness of living, the canton of Uri is among the clear leaders in Switzerland.
In the same way, companies also benefit from relatively inexpensive land and real estate prices. But Uri also outperforms many cantons in corporate tax competition. Because the Gotthard canton has had a flat rate tax for years – for both natural and legal persons. The low corporate taxes are particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized companies. The profit tax is around 12.6 percent and the capital tax is 0.001 percent (cantonal and municipal taxes in the municipality of Altdorf). Both in the Swiss and in the international comparison, Uri thus occupies an absolute top position!
Fast and reliable realization of business ideas Decision-makers and reliable partners in authorities, business and society can be reached quickly in Uri. After all, a small canton also means short distances. The small size also means tailor-made solutions, so that business ideas can be implemented pragmatically. In addition, Uri can boast of committed and effective employees who are characterized by loyalty and a high degree of identification with the employer.
Uniquely simple combination of work and leisure Kayaking before starting work? Cross-country skiing during the lunch break? Short hike in the evening with the family? Embedded in an attractive mountain and lake landscape, the canton of Uri with its local recreation areas makes this unique combination of work and leisure possible. In Uri there is energy and quality of life – discover this added value at work, after work and on days off.
Good things are so close: a unique combination of free time and work in the canton of Uri. (Image: Angel Sanchez)
Numerous investments in a small space A lot is currently being built in the canton of Uri. Hardly any other place invests so much in such a small space. This results in significant impulses that contribute to the noticeable spirit of optimism in the canton of Uri. The development of the Uri housing market is exemplary for this. In the last 10 years it has grown by almost 3,000 new apartments – that means a remarkable increase of 16 percent.
The resident population of Uri, which has stagnated in recent decades, has also been growing significantly again for several years. All of this underscores the attractive framework conditions, but is also thanks to the well-known investments in the Uri location.
Promotion to the tourist champions league Tourism development in Andermatt in particular has contributed to this growth. Due to the partial withdrawal of the military, the mountain community was faced with major challenges. Egyptian investor Samih Sawiris brought the turning point. Since 2009 he has invested more than CHF 1.3 billion together with fellow investors, thereby catapulting Andermatt into the tourism champions league. CHF 130 million went into the modernization and expansion of the winter and summer sports facilities. Further investments were made in an ecologically operated 18-hole golf course and in a multifunctional concert hall for brilliant music experiences as well as conferences and exhibitions. With Andermatt Reuss, a completely new part of the village was created with hotels, apartment buildings, restaurants and businesses and its own village square, the Piazza Gottardo.
With more than 1000 employees, Andermatt Swiss Alps AG, which operates the tourist resort, is now the largest employer in Uri. Andermatt is an up-and-coming and attractive tourist destination. Further investments are already planned: on the one hand, the new village part of Andermatt Reuss will be expanded in stages by another 18,000 m2. On the other hand, Vail Ski Resorts will take over the majority of the mountain railway infrastructure in Andermatt and plans further investments of over CHF 100 million.
Newly created part of the Andermatt Reuss village with a view of the «Piazza Gottardo». (Image: Andermatt Swiss Alps)
More mobility and attractiveness in the Uri valley floor Despite the impressive development in the mountain village of Andermatt and its importance for Uri as a business location: around 80 percent of the population of Uri live in the valley floor, where most of the service, industrial and commercial companies are concentrated. This area has undergone substantial changes in recent years. With the development focus of the Urner valley floor around the cantonal train station in Altdorf, Uri is tackling a project for generations: Here, sustainable uses are created in the overall regional interest and the corresponding economic, settlement and transport infrastructures are carefully coordinated.
An important milestone was reached in December 2021 with the commissioning of the new cantonal railway station in Altdorf. Intercity trains now stop in Altdorf, which connects the station to the Gotthard base line. The regional and national bus concept is also geared towards the new hub. Impetus for economic and settlement projects should arise from better accessibility. The first effects are already visible: in the immediate vicinity of the train station, modern residential developments have already been realized with “Vena” and “Cubo”. Others, such as the “Strickermatt” development in the immediate vicinity of the cantonal railway station, are in the works. The Cantonal Bank of Uri is also actively involved in the development of the new Uri transport hub. With its newly erected service building at Bahnhofplatz 1, it is committed to the overall economic development of the canton and the bank itself. State-of-the-art office space has been created there in a prime location. The UKB itself claims a third as its new headquarters, and a further 3100 m2 are rented out. Exciting new companies from Germany and abroad have already settled here.
Werkmatt Uri – space for business ideas The Werkmatt Uri in Altdorf is the central piece of the puzzle for the focus of development. It is the largest contiguous land reserve in Uri. The canton of Uri, as the owner, invested millions in the area between the new canton train station and the future half-junction to the motorway. On around 120,000 m2, the area offers business opportunities for future-oriented industrial, commercial and service companies. More than 1,000 jobs are to be created on the site in the future. The aim is to develop the area in a coordinated manner so that sustainable economic uses can arise. The public sector as the provider is striving for a win-win situation with investors and the future owners and users of the area.
What the Werkmatt could look like in the future, including the Autobahn half connection.
Further promising developments are pending The canton of Uri has already implemented various generation projects, as described above. Other important development projects are pending. A new traffic hub in Göschenen is being planned. In addition to the station for trains and buses and a multi-storey car park, a cable car connection from Göschenen station to the Andermatt ski area is being planned.
In addition, there is the west-east bypass in the Urner valley floor, which will relieve the settlement areas of road traffic and thus upgrade them. In Altdorf, a new half-junction to the motorway is being built, which will open up the Urner valley floor even better. The federal government is already working on the construction of the second Gotthard road tunnel. Finally, new bike paths are being created, which should make Uri even more attractive for non-motorised traffic. In addition, investments in education and research are becoming even more important. The first approaches are already there: on the one hand with the Institute for Alpine Cultures, which is dedicated to the special features of the Alpine region – from prehistoric evidence to specific traditions to the challenges of the present. On the other hand with the Logistikum Schweiz in Altdorf, a research and innovation center for logistics and supply chain management.
Promotion of the Uri location – your effective partner Many exciting developments are underway in the canton of Uri. Location promotion is working on using this momentum in an economically sustainable manner and converting it into jobs and added value for the entire canton. How does the Uri location promotion work?
On the one hand, we make the advantages of the Gotthard canton and the exciting developments visible. Location communication and marketing takes place via the web, print, trade fair appearances and via the personal network. In particular, membership in the Greater Zurich Area is intended to ensure that the Uri location and its advantages are even better perceived. Those interested in settling, as well as existing companies and start-ups, are supported by the location promotion in consultations or during site visits or the search for building land. It is also the information and contact point of the administration for the economy of Uri. In addition, she establishes contact with the key people in business, education, innovation promotion and authorities.
Wide range of tools The Uri location promotion can fall back on a wide range of instruments to support companies. They are custom-defined for each individual case. Innovative start-ups, for example, benefit from this in the form of start-up aid. Another option is to support cross-company initiatives with the New Regional Policy (NRP), a funding instrument for rural and mountain areas. As a start-up aid or pioneer, she can help entrepreneurial initiatives to achieve a breakthrough.
With the Uri location promotion, you can count on quick, competent and binding reactions to your concerns.
Welcome to the living and business location Uri. Grab the bull by the horns with us!
Kick-off for the paper mill hub The “Zentrum Papiermühle” site is centrally located in the district of Papiermühle in the municipality of Ittigen, near the S-Bahn station of the same name. It stretches along Worblentalstrasse and connects directly to the intersection of Papiermühlestrasse, Grauholzstrasse and Worblentalstrasse.
For the development of the area, an urban planning solution (use, development, development) was already worked out in 2014. Based on this, the planning instruments relevant for the area were then adapted, namely the “ESP Ittigen-Paper Mill” structure plan, the zoning plan, the building regulations and the associated building regulations. With the award of the study contract, the intention was to obtain a solution for the area that was convincing in terms of local planning, architecture and function through a qualified competition procedure involving the municipality of Ittigen.
Five planning teams, consisting of architects, landscape architects and civil engineers, were invited to the study assignment. The project contributions were evaluated by the assessment committee chaired by Michael Geschwentner (Steib Gmür Geschwentner Kyburz Partner AG Architekten & Stadtplaner) with regard to the fulfillment of the objectives and numerous criteria such as urban development, architecture, open space, development, design, use, profitability and sustainability. Of particular importance were also qualitative and convincing apartment floor plans.
Appreciation of the winning project In the opinion of the assessment committee, the project contribution by E2A Piet Eckert and Wim Eckert Architekten AG is characterized by a clever urban planning setting that gives the place a strong identity, with exciting spatial qualities and the desired degree of publicity. The project was unanimously recommended for further processing.
Based on a precise analysis of the urban planning context, the architects developed a volumetric arrangement of high-rise and long building that creates a well-proportioned, all-round square that accommodates the different prevailing height situations and achieves a clear address for commercial and residential areas.
The extra-high ground floor gives the high-rise a self-confident appearance and cleverly addresses the terrain offset in the interior. In interaction with the ground floor, the newly created square unfolds a strong public that has the potential to activate and enliven the place. The longitudinal building also benefits from the free space at the rear. The filigree appearance of the high-rise is combined with the delicate wooden construction of the longitudinal building and leads to a harmonious relationship between the two buildings.
A competition for landscape architects was carried out for the design of the Attisholz area in Riedholz. According to a media release from Halter AG , those that are to be pursued have been selected from the six projects submitted. The Schlieremer construction group is the landowner of the area. The projects will now be presented to the public. The exhibition opened on Thursday, May 19, at 5 p.m. in the evaporation plant building. The exhibition will remain open until June 2nd.
The government council of the canton of Solothurn approved the usage plan for the Attisholz area in Riedholz in December. The project page from Halter states that cellulose was industrially produced on the site for 130 years. Since the end of 2016, Halter AG has been working with the local municipality of Riedholz and the canton of Solothurn to find a new use for the area.
Six teams led by landscape architecture offices took part in the competition that has now been held. In the program, the creation of a sustainable and changeable basis for the development of a living space for all users was formulated as a core task. The aim was to design the mostly public open spaces on the eastern part of the site in detail.
The assessment committee consisted of experts in landscape architecture and urban planning, representatives of the municipality of Riedholz, the office for spatial planning of the canton of Solothurn and the landowner Halter AG. The committee unanimously recommended the study by DnD Landschaftsplanung ZT Wien and Freimüller-Söllinger Stadtbau ZT Wien for further processing.
Renggli Deutschland GmbH is a joint venture between the four shareholders Renggli AG, Saxovent Smart Eco Investments GmbH, Sächsische Ärzteversorgung (SAEV) and MQ Real Estate GmbH. Renggli AG is committed to providing know-how and expertise. The new plant is being built in Eberswalde (state of Brandenburg), around 40 kilometers from the Berlin city limits. In February 2022, the purchase contract for the land of the production facility was signed. Construction will start in the third quarter of 2022 and completion is scheduled for the end of 2023. From 2024, wooden modules for sustainable and climate-friendly, multi-storey buildings will be manufactured in the modern plant on a production area of around 20,000 square meters.
Great potential in Germany
In the greater Berlin area, there is great potential for serially and industrially manufactured wooden modules. In modular construction, entire room units are prefabricated in the production plant and assembled on the construction site. Today, modular buildings meet all the requirements of modern and sustainable real estate and offer a solution for the realization of attractive, affordable and climate-friendly living space. Samuel Renggli says: “We want to meet the high demand for timber construction capacities in the Berlin/Brandenburg area as needed and thus make a significant contribution to resource-friendly and climate-neutral construction. With the performance of this modern production plant, we meet the high standards of quality, efficiency and reliability.»
Market development in Germany – further development in Switzerland
The investment is the consistent strategic further development of activities in Germany and is based on Renggli AG’s long-term business plan. The commitment in Germany will not affect the activities in Switzerland. As planned, Renggli AG will continue to strengthen its market position in Switzerland and invest in the digitization and further development of the company in parallel to its expansion in Germany. In the production plant in Schötz (LU), Renggli AG continues to realize industrially manufactured, high-quality and climate-friendly buildings in element and modular construction. It thus serves the demand from Switzerland for architecturally sophisticated, multi-storey wooden buildings for housing developments, office and commercial buildings or kindergartens and schools.
According to a press release , researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research ( Empa ) are working on a world first in soundproofing wooden buildings. In particular, it is about reducing footfall noise. The researchers use a physical theory from the 1990s.
The theory is about so-called acoustic black holes. Parabolic recesses in a material should be able to “swallow” vibrations such as sound. However, this theory has not yet been tested in either timber construction or building acoustics. Stefan Schoenwald, head of Empa’s building acoustics laboratory in Dübendorf, has now carried out precisely such experiments with his team.
In its experiments, the team has already calculated acoustic spectra on the computer. Then it tested whether the computer model corresponded to reality. In fact, there were only deviations of up to 5 percent, which the researchers explain, among other things, with the natural variation of the wood.
The researchers now also want to develop a method that can automatically show the best arrangement and shape of the acoustic black holes on any ground size and shape. Then it is necessary to look for industrial partners. During the tests, Empa has already cooperated with the timber construction company Strüby AG in Seewen SZ.
The infrastructure construction with its high proportion of reinforced concrete is one of the largest emitters of CO2 in Switzerland, explains the Bern University of Applied Sciences ( BFH ) in a statement . BFH researchers at the Institute for Timber Structures, Structures and Architecture , together with TS3 and other business partners, have developed a research strategy for the use of wood in infrastructure construction. A feasibility study for heavy-duty bridges made of wood is currently being carried out under the direction of BFH professor Steffen Franke.
A first working model has already been created as part of the study, which will run until summer 2023. The bridge element has been on display in the inner courtyard of the BFH site in Biel since May 9th. The BFH explained in the statement that it was designed for a bridge running perpendicular to the axis. With it, for example, a cantonal road can be routed over a six-lane motorway. Industrial partner TS3 has contributed its technology for the wooden bridge, which is designed for a payload of 40 tons, with which the individual plates of the elements can be connected in a rigid manner.
Beaulieu Circulaire has a premiere on May 9th. With the SHIFT Switzerland , the first major event will take place in the rededicated hall 18 of the old exhibition center in the north of Lausanne. In the coming years, Beaulieu Circulaire should not only become a meeting place, but also a place of work. On an area of 3000 square meters there is space for technological and social innovation.
Beaulieu Circulaire sees itself as a kind of laboratory village: actors from different subject areas find space here for their own activities as well as space for cooperation with others. Laboratories are planned for individual crafts, for work on new materials and for digital innovation, but also for the production of food. 500 square meters are earmarked for co-working spaces.
The conversion of the hall was carried out to a large extent with recycled materials. Shipping containers offer office space. Old theater curtains, damaged panes and insulating material made from old textiles were also used.
The construction of the Unterfeld energy center symbolically began on May 3rd with the ground-breaking ceremony. The energy center forms the core and at the same time the only above-ground part of the Circulago energy network. In the future, this will supply the districts of Altgass, Unterfeld, Schleifi, Gartenstadt and Herti in Zug and Baar with heating and cooling from Lake Zug.
The energy center is to be fully completed in autumn 2024, but the first properties will already be supplied from autumn 2023. The projected thermal energy would be enough for 1,500 standard single-family houses, project manager Benjamin Kälin is quoted as saying in a statement from the energy supplier WWZ .
The energy network also reduces the region’s dependency on the gas supply, the Mayor of Zug, Karl Kobelt, is quoted as saying in the statement. “The importance of the Circulago energy network for the city of Zug is immense.”
A group of researchers from the Circular Engineering for Architecture Labs ( CEA ) at ETH have built a dome from construction waste. The aim of the project led by assistant professor Catherine De Wolf in the Department of Civil, Environment and Geomatics was to show the advantages of the circular economy and digitization for the construction industry, according to a press release .
In doing so, the scientists should go through the entire reuse cycle of building materials – from the dismantling work to the design of a new building and its construction. Before the demolition of a car warehouse in Geneva, they collected usable old components under the guidance of demolition specialists.
They stored and installed the parts on the Hönggerberg campus with the help of a self-programmed algorithm. This independently calculated the optimal geometry and dimensions of the wood supply in order to use it as efficiently as possible. “The aim was to design the computer program in such a way that it does not cut the largest bars into small pieces and leaves as few residues as possible,” doctoral student Matthew Gordon is quoted as saying in the press release.
The participants also saved information on each component, which was marked with a QR code, in a database. The idea of the prototype: Architects could find out “when which materials from demolition objects will be available and plan them in new buildings”.
Because in the project it turned out that the procurement of used components is one of the biggest challenges. “Ideally, the companies would be informed about demolition or dismantling as soon as possible, so that they can start looking for buyers for the materials right away,” De Wolf is quoted as saying in the press release. In fact, this often happens at short notice.
The Limmattal Hospital Association completes the LIMMIviva new construction project for the acute hospital. The construction was realized between 2014 and September 2018. This was followed by relocation and commissioning. The project can now be considered completed. According to the media release, less was spent on the costs than estimated. The approved commitment credit of 275.7 million francs, including two supplementary credits, was undershot by around 0.8 million francs.
In a construction project lasting several years, adjustments to the original project are quite common, according to the hospital association. This also applied to the new building project for the Limmattal hospital. The high dynamics of the healthcare system meant that the project was continuously adapted to changing requirements in over 100 supplements. Such supplements usually lead to significant additional costs. During the construction of the Limmattal hospital, together with the Bern-based construction company Losinger Marazzi AG , which was commissioned as general contractor, additional costs that caused additional costs were compensated for by optimizations in other areas.
With the hospital financing introduced in 2012 and an amendment to the municipal law, the Limmattal Hospital Association was able to finance the investments of around 270 million francs itself, without the help of the municipalities and thus without burdening the taxpayer. 220 million francs of outside capital was raised through the issue of two bonds.
With the new building in Gloriarank (GLC), ETH Zurich is creating a modern development and laboratory building at the interface between health sciences and technology in the university district of Zurich Zentrum. Together with partners, ETH Zurich would like to set a milestone in medical technology research and application. Research groups will meet in the new building and work more closely together on research projects with industry, the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Zurich and other university hospitals. ETH Zurich is also making an architectural statement with the new building. The attractive connection of the structure to the existing ETZ building creates a central courtyard, the heart of which is the listed Scherrer lecture hall. The inner courtyard created in this way becomes the center around which the main entrances and public facilities are grouped.
When it comes to architecture, “Everything is Roger” here. He speaks of "Maison de Verre", but in this case he does not mean the famous 1930s glass house in Paris – the Zurich architect Roger Boltshauser. Rather, with the GLC research building, he created a sensational building that, with its glass facade made of glass block elements assembled in a cassette-like manner and the ventilation wings staggered in depth, creates a sublime heaviness that does justice to its representative character. Since the use of glass blocks as a façade material in contemporary industrial and university buildings has a long tradition, the architect redesigned the material for this project in terms of design, technology and energy. It not only meets today's enormously high demands on energy and sustainability. Rather, through the combination of reduction and robustness of the elements used, the design corresponds to the basic urban planning attitude of the quarter.
Thinking together means thinking ahead. 3,866 m² of steel facade, 22,550 m² of floor space, 1,875 mm high casement windows with a projection of 2,800 mm, the strictest environmental and fire protection standards and much more: the new GLC building was a challenge in every respect, which was mastered thanks to the open and constructive exchange of ideas between the companies involved was mastered. A good example of this are the particularly heavy cleaning blades. Due to its complex geometry, Aepli Metallbau – in cooperation with Jansen AG – subjected it to an endurance test beforehand. A prototype was specially built for this purpose. Exactly 1250 problem-free openings and closings later, it was clear: everything works perfectly!
Do you remember the time when there was no internet? In Switzerland, the Internet boom began in 1995 – on September 16, 1996, the Internet became affordable for the general public, since access was possible throughout Switzerland at local telephone rates. The USA, especially American Internet startups, paved the way to the Internet age worldwide – Amazon was founded in 1994, Ebay in 1995 and Google in 1998.
Activities in areas such as e-commerce, e-banking and various market and information platforms quickly followed in Switzerland. The marketplace for rental apartments and home ownership was digitized early on: the market leaders Immoscout24 and Homegate were founded in 1997 and 2001 respectively. In recent years, countless other platforms and services related to the real estate market have joined the online marketplaces for renting and selling real estate: sharing platforms such as Airbnb, housing portals where landlords look for tenants, real estate platforms for institutional investors, platforms for crowdsourcing and peer-to-peer financing, and many more.
The search for real estate takes place virtually
Digital platforms are an essential part of the housing market – and there is hardly anyone who does not first visit the websites or apps of the various providers when looking for a rental apartment or a home. Efficient search engines provide valuable information on offers and prices; increasingly better 360-degree videos offer virtual tours, and chatbots answer the most pressing questions. User trust in many of these digital platforms is high, not least because false information is immediately exposed by the community.
These digital services provide a quick and easy market overview from the sofa; if a new property that meets certain criteria comes onto the market, the interested party will be notified immediately. But while the search for real estate has been almost completely and successfully relocated to the virtual space, most tenants still want to see the potential new apartment in person – and when buying, selling and maintaining residential property, hardly anything works without a physical presence. Digitization is reaching its limits.
With the help of digital assistants, a property profile can be created quickly and easily with the year of construction, net living space, property type, location, etc. and the current condition of the building can be determined. Based on such a profile, individual modernization assistants even provide concrete recommendations as to exactly what should be replaced or modernized and when, including a range of the corresponding renovation costs. Platforms can also provide a lot of suggestions and information in the area of energy-efficient renovation, for example on savings in electricity consumption or possible subsidies for heating systems based on renewable energy.
Physical presence is required for investment decisions
However, when it comes to assessing the "look and feel" of a property, physical presence on site is essential. The definitive assessment of the condition of a building and the decision as to which renovation materials are really necessary can only be made on site – and together with experienced experts. The choice of the right craftsmen also takes place physically, at least in a second step, since they also have to inspect the property personally in order to be able to create concrete offers.
In addition, many financial institutions require a "physical" appraisal prepared by a special appraiser for the financing of a home. Since real estate is not fungible, every transaction is different – and specialists should also be consulted for the negotiation and conclusion of a real estate transaction.
Digital home ownership platforms can provide a lot of benefits and cover many needs related to the purchase, maintenance or sale of a property. But it doesn't work without people. Only the mix of digitization and physical presence – as well as the support of appropriate experts – leads to the best result.
The study contract for the construction of the Rocket and Tigerli houses has been completed, as informed by Ina Invest in a press release . A jury made up of representatives from the city of Winterthur and architects selected the concept by the architecture offices of Cometti Truffer Hodel Architects from Lucerne and Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects from Copenhagen from nine designs.
The winning design shows an “outstanding architectural completion” of the former industrial site. As can be seen in the media release, the decision is based on a “non-anonymous study order in the form of a digital, one-step process with pre-qualification and interim discussion”. In addition to urban planning and architectural aspects, the focus was on sustainability and innovation. At the heart of Lokstadt, on Dialogplatz, the Rocket high-rise with a terracotta facade is to reach a height of 100 meters into the sky.
Mixed use is planned for the entire residential area. In the Rocket high-rise, a diverse range of residential properties is to be created over 32 floors. According to the Lokstadt development team, the architectural concept is characterized by flexible planning.
The base building Tigerli is intended for student apartments and non-profit housing. A Radisson Red Hotel is to be housed on part of the area, including the listed industrial halls.
The environmental monitoring in Andermatt Reuss has announced a positive result, according to a media release by Andermatt Swiss Alps AG . The intensified construction activities would have fulfilled the environmental requirements, it is said. At the start of construction of Andermatt Reuss, Andermatt Swiss Alps AG commissioned the engineering office Hodel Umweltberatung , based in Schaffhausen, to monitor and document the environmental impact.
As part of the environmental monitoring for 2021, the review extended not only to the operation of the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course and the upcoming revitalization of the Dürstelenbach, but also to the construction measures for a podium extension and the construction of apartment buildings. The increase in construction activities has increased the number of inspections, but has not changed the result of a low burden on the environment, according to the statement.
The categories of immission control and measurements, water protection, nature conservation, butterfly monitoring and soil protection were examined in accordance with cantonal specifications.
From an ecological point of view, there is a positive finding for the operation of the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course, which can be attributed to the protection and the practiced care of the nature conservation areas on the golf course.
From Switzerland, 80 to 100 houses are to be built worldwide that will bear the Domi Living signature, five to seven also in Zurich. Behind this new real estate brand are Canadian designer with British citizenship Tyler Brulé and Zurich real estate entrepreneur Thomas Prajer .
Domi Living was founded in Zug in July 2021 and, according to its website, sees itself as a real estate and lifestyle consultancy. It aims to “create elegant, intuitive real estate and revitalize urban neighborhoods around the world. In doing so, we combine design and site development at a high level with access to a sophisticated, influential global audience.” The buildings in Asian and North American metropolises are to be realized under license by local entrepreneurs.
In order to reach an exclusive target audience, both business partners have good prerequisites. A seasoned journalist, Brulé is the owner of the glossy magazine Monocle . He also owns the Zurich design agency Winkreative with offices in London and Tokyo. Among other things, she gave her logo and name to the then new Swiss airline in 2002. He also owns the radio station M24 and cafés in Zurich and London. He was also involved in the design of the Koya apartment building in the Andermatt Swiss Alps holiday village.
“We want to create a global brand with Domi Living,” said Thomas Prajer of the “Handelzeitung”. The first building of this new brand is to be built on Zurich’s Gold Coast, on a site in Küsnacht owned by Thomas Prajer. Prajer will also contribute the other Domi Living properties in Zurich. According to the information, he has bought around 50 high-quality plots of land in the Zurich area, which he will develop with his company Xania Real Estate . It was founded in March 2022.
According to a press release , the Bauen und Wohnen trade fair, which was held again from April 7th to 10th after a two-year break caused by Corona, attracted more than 14,000 visitors to the daily event in Wettingen. More than 200 exhibitors presented products and services in four halls as well as on Tägerhardstrasse, the Tägi forecourt and in the event arena. Furthermore, several specialist lectures were held in the Limmat area.
“We were almost overrun. The number of visitors is far above our expectations. The many visitors were very open and showed a lot of interest,” says Marco Biland, Managing Director of ZT Fachmessen AG , on the balance of the four days of the fair.
The fair was aimed at homeowners, those interested in building, planners and architects and, according to the media release, showed innovative and sustainable building and living trends in the areas of kitchens, bathrooms, doors and windows through to the worlds of home, garden and energy. The lectures were heard by both laypeople and experts. The demand for offers and expert advice on the hot topic of charging current and electromobility was enormous.
The date for next year’s Bauen+Wohnen trade fair has already been set. “Because the response was only positive, the next edition has already been secured. From April 20th to 23rd, 2023, the Bauen und Wohnen trade fair will take place again during the day. The planning and bookings are already underway,” Managing Director Marco Biland is quoted as saying.
The Paperwerd Forum was launched on April 11 under the direction of the Office for Urban Development. Here, 55 experts from various disciplines, representatives of politics, clubs, organizations and associations as well as the residents are to work out “the basics for the future of the Papierwerd area”, writes the building department of the city of Zurich in a statement . “We would like to have a broad debate with the interest groups and the population about the possible scenarios for the Papierwerd area,” Corine Mauch, Mayor of Zurich, is quoted there as saying. The scenarios range from preservation to partial preservation and demolition to new construction.
The results of the dialogue process should form the basis for the city council’s strategy for the development of the area. The handling of the provisional globe will also be discussed, according to the statement. “Even if the Globus provisional is not listed as a historic monument, the building is definitely relevant in terms of architecture, urban planning and social history,” André Odermatt, head of the building department, is quoted as saying.
The Papierwerd area is part of the area around the main station and the Central. For this, the civil engineering office creates a master plan as a superordinate consideration. Richard Wolff, Head of the Civil Engineering and Waste Management Department, explains that it will be “incorporated into the strategic process for the Papierwerd site”, but will not anticipate it.
The city of Zurich is planning to set up a sustainable, innovative recycling center on the Juch site in Zurich-Altstetten. It is intended to replace the Hagenholz recycling center. The city council has now approved an additional loan of 4.24 million francs for the implementation of the project, the civil engineering and waste disposal department of the city of Zurich informed in a statement .
The construction of the new recycling center is intended to serve as a pilot project for circular construction. On the one hand, the reuse of as many elements as possible from the Hagenholz recycling hall and other components owned by the city is planned. On the other hand, value is placed on a simple and independent renewal of components in the new recycling center.
The operating concept of the center is also based on the principles of the circular economy. It is planned to repair disposal goods as far as possible and to recycle them.
The new recycling center on the Juch site is scheduled to go into operation at the end of 2026. At a later date, the city of Zurich also wants to replace the Werdholzli recycling center with an equivalent recycling center in Zurich-North, explains the Civil Engineering and Waste Management Department.
Apleona Wolfferts has been commissioned with the heating, cooling and ventilation trades as well as fire protection for the latest expansion stage of the freight and handling center of the parcel service provider United Parcel Service (UPS) at Cologne-Bonn Airport. Europe’s largest UPS hub, built in 2005, is currently being expanded to include four multi-storey dispatch halls, each with an area of 6,000 square meters and a ceiling height of up to ten meters, as well as three seven-storey office towers. Completion is scheduled for August 2022.
In addition to the HVAC systems, the Apleona subsidiary is also equipping the new dispatch halls with smoke extraction systems. In addition, it installs the sanitary facilities in the office towers and also provides the execution and assembly planning as well as the coordination of all other building services. The client for the major order is the general contractor, Baugesellschaft Walter Hellmich GmbH. Builder is UPS.
Managing Director of Apleona Wolfferts, Horst Kever: “Such complex construction projects are logistically challenging due to the tight schedule and the size of the building. The sensitive airport area also increases the requirements due to explicit security regulations. This applies to the entire construction team and Apleona Wolfferts plays a key role through the commissioned coordination, which we fulfill through professionalism, adherence to schedules and commitment.”
The Swiss TPH combines its departments, which were previously spread across seven properties, in a new building on the BaseLink site . The Belo Horizonte building, designed by the Basel architects Kunz and Mösch , was officially opened on April 1st. On five floors, it offers 725 modern workplaces and 150 laboratory places on an area of around 13,000 square meters. According to a press release , up to 10,000 new jobs are to be created on the site.
In her speech, State Secretary Martina Hirayama said that “the institute makes an important contribution to improving the health of people in Switzerland and around the world and drives innovation”. According to the information, the new building enables “attractive forms of interdisciplinary cooperation in order to take on global challenges and approach solutions in a spirit of partnership”.
The director of the Swiss TPH, Jürg Utzinger, described the opening as a historic day for the Swiss TPH: “Almost 80 years after our founding – originally intended as a three-year temporary arrangement – we can call this great building our new home.” Transformation from ‘Tropeli’ to ‘Swiss TPH’ accomplished and we can push our mission even more consistently”.
According to Nicole Nüssli-Kaiser, mayor of Allschwil, the new Swiss TPH is “an important anchor institution” in the BaseLink area, the up-and-coming life science cluster. It is in the immediate vicinity of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area Main Campus , which will open in autumn 2022. Companies such as Abbott, Basilea Pharmaceutica, Idorsia, Johnson&Johnson and Skan have settled there.
On March 30th, Stefanie Steiner, project manager of the certification organization SNBS, presented the certificate to the new cooperative housing project on Schorenweg in Basel and thanked the builder of the Northwest Housing Cooperative for the good work and handling of the certification.
In particular, great importance was attached to social values such as a multi-purpose room or residents’ café. The SNBS building standard is a building standard that covers the building itself and the site in the context of its surroundings. It enables the needs of society, the economy and the environment to be equally and comprehensively included in planning, construction and operation. The prerequisite for this is the view of the entire life cycle of a property.
The winning project, which emerged from a competition, is the final building block to close a vacant lot that resulted from the demolition of a former Novartis office building on Schorenweg. 94 apartments can be found in the buildings, which impress with their permeable structure and clearly defined outdoor spaces and passageways. The latter connect the different uses of the public, semi-public and private areas. The roofs accommodate a photovoltaic system with an output of approx. 230,000kWp, the settlement draws the electricity as a group for self-consumption (ZEV).
Due to the central location near the train station, the number of parking spaces tailored to the use and the numerous bicycle parking spaces, the requirements for mobility from the energy efficiency path can be met. A spacious bicycle storage hall and numerous above-ground parking spaces encourage the use of fuel-free means of transport and support the sustainability concept of the client and the canton. By taking into account the social and economic aspects, which are checked in addition to the energetic criteria in the SNBS building certification, the SNBS building certification is a perfect supplement to the Minergie-P-ECO certification. As a building standard, the SNBS building allows the Comprehensively incorporating the needs of society, the economy and the environment into planning, construction and operation.
Steinfels Swiss laid the foundation stone for its new building in Winterthur on March 30, the Coop subsidiary, which specializes in the production of sustainable cosmetic and hygiene products for the retail trade, hospitals and gastronomy, informed in a statement. “With the new building, we are investing in the Winterthur production site and expanding our range of cosmetic products,” Christian Koch, CEO of Steinfels Swiss, is quoted as saying. “In this way we can meet the increasing demand for cosmetic products, especially for sustainable alternatives.”
In the new production building, the company wants to renew its cosmetics production and realign the production of detergents, the press release explains further. The internal flow of goods should be automated. The end of the construction work is scheduled for the end of 2023. The new production premises offer space for 150 employees.
Steinfels Swiss had the old production building demolished for the new building project worth CHF 35 million. The new building is intended to set “standards in terms of sustainability”, the company explains in the press release. On the one hand, it is built according to the Minergie standard. On the other hand, a large part of the required electrical energy is to be produced with the company’s own photovoltaic systems. Steinfels Swiss will obtain the thermal energy required for production from Stadtwerke Winterthur in the form of waste heat.
Baumer will add a development center to its Frauenfeld site. The company is investing 20 million francs in its new Innovation Center. It will offer space for around 120 employees on 5,000 square meters. According to a press release , the teams should move in in late summer 2023.
Baumer is investing in its innovative strength for the second time in just a few years, following the opening of the new high-tech center in Stockach in southern Germany in 2018. The central location between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich , the University of Excellence in Konstanz and the OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule is “optimal”. “The new building enables us to expand the development capacities at the headquarters in order to expand our position as a driver of innovation,” says Dr. Oliver Vietze quoted, CEO of the company from the St.GallenBodenseeArea.
When it comes to sustainability and energy efficiency, the Innovation Center is set to become a showcase project. A complete solar building envelope is planned for power generation. Geothermal probes and a heat pump are to temper the building. Baumer will obtain further CO2-neutral electricity from Swiss hydropower.
The UZH Forum has completed its preliminary project and thus completed the first phase of the project planning, the UZH informs in a press release . The planned nine-story building for the UZH research and education center will form “the future hub of the University of Zurich in the heart of the Zurich Zentrum university district,” the statement said. A large part of the building is to be made accessible to the public.
The cost of the new building is expected to amount to CHF 598 million. The Government Council of the Canton of Zurich has now referred a corresponding loan application to the Cantonal Council, the State Chancellery of the Canton of Zurich informed in a separate statement . According to her, the Forum UZH provides “the urgently needed additional space for teaching and research”. In addition, the Communications Department of the Government Council emphasizes the function of the planned research and education center as a “link between the three traditional institutions of the University of Zurich, the University Hospital Zurich and the ETH Zurich “.
The seven above-ground floors of the Forum UZH are reserved for research and teaching. Law, economics and modern philology will occupy the top four floors. In addition, seven of the 40 locations of the university library will move into the new building. In the center of the building there will be an inner forum in the form of a large hall that breaks through the entire structure, which gives the building “an open, pleasant atmosphere across all floors”, writes the UHZ in its press release. The Forum UZH is scheduled to open in 2029.
The construction services company Implenia has won the general contractor contract for the EUREF campus in Düsseldorf . According to the client EUREF AG , “a visible place of the future will be created as a real model on this innovation campus for the energy and mobility transition, which can be implemented in many major cities around the world”. EUREF has already set up a first campus of this kind in Berlin .
The Düsseldorf campus will offer 3,500 employees from established companies, start-ups, science and research an inspiring environment on 105,000 square meters of gross floor space. In addition, it is to become part of a network of environmentally friendly energy producers and storage facilities in the region and meet all of the federal government’s CO2 climate protection targets for 2045 from the start. The project volume amounts to CHF 186 million.
“Sustainability is one of Implenia’s five corporate values,” CEO André Wyss is quoted as saying in a press release . “We are therefore very pleased that we can build a research and development campus whose work focuses on sustainability and which is itself geared towards CO2-neutral operation.”
According to Implenia, the schedule is “ambitious”: The first phase of construction should be completed and ready for occupancy by mid-2024. The second construction phase will run continuously with a time delay and will be completed by mid-2025. In order to be able to keep to this schedule, Implenia has been working with BIM (Building Information Modeling) right from the start, i.e. with digital modelling, combining and recording all relevant planning, construction and management data. In addition, a so-called lean cycle plan is used for execution.
The Hächler construction company reports progress on the renovation project with a new building for the historic Posthorn inn in Neuenhof. According to the press release , the old building will be extensively renovated. Seven rental apartments are being built in the former hotel. There is also a new building with a further 16 rental apartments.
Since the building permit for the Posthorn superstructure was granted in 2019, the structural and civil engineering department of Hächler AG has been in charge of the construction work since spring 2021. According to Hächler, the project is not easy. The historic post horn was not allowed to be torn off. The building dates from 1834 and is a protected site. Gable and facade must be preserved.
According to Hächler, to ensure the statics and to support the facade that remains in place, a complex steel brace was installed. The rest of the post horn could only be broken off after the installation of this steel spline. When the historic building was gutted, the effective master builder work began. In the meantime, the erection work on the roof trusses of the Posthorn and the new building are scheduled for March and April.
According to the construction management, the work on the superstructure will be completed around May 2022. Then the interior work takes place. The move-in date for the new apartments in the Posthorn is planned for February 2023 and in the new building for April 2023.
Artisa Group wants to renovate and expand Locarno’s Grand Hotel. A corresponding planning application has already been submitted, the Zug-based company, which specializes in real estate investments on the Swiss and European market, informed in a press release . For the project, Artisa Group is collaborating with architect Ivano Gianola.
Artisa writes that the design envisages the preservation of the existing substance and in particular the listed frescoes, decorations and facades of the historic building. The large hall, in which the peace conference took place in 1925, is to be restored in a contemporary way. A new SPA and wellness center will be set up.
“The new Grand Hotel Locarno will set standards worldwide in terms of excellence, sustainability and modern service,” explains Stefano Artioli, Vice President of the Artisa Group, in the press release. “In addition, we will take responsibility for 100 employees who will work in the hotel.”
Outside, the concept envisages a redesign of the more than 4000 square meter park. Together, the hotel and park should complement the tourist offer of Ticino, according to the statement. “The holistic hotel concept fits perfectly with the OTR strategy (Mendrisiotto and Basso Ceresio, Luganese, Bellinzonese and High Ticino as well as Lake Maggiore and valleys): wellness, food and wine, events, meetings, sustainability,” says Fabio Bonetti, Director of the Tourist Organization of Lake Maggiore , cite there.
12 years ago, CKW subsidiary Steiner Energie built the last hydroelectric power station in the canton of Lucerne in Malters. Even then, CKW was intensively involved in the planning of the Waldemme power plant. A lot of water flowed down the Waldemme before the excavators could finally drive up and drive their shovels into the ground.
Within a year, some of this water will be used to produce clean, renewable electricity. At today's ground-breaking ceremony in Flühli, government councilor Fabian Peter, head of the building, environment and economic department, expressed his delight: "With the new construction of this power plant, CKW is making another important contribution to achieving the energy and climate policy goals in the canton of Lucerne. »
Expansion of renewable energies is urgently needed In his speech to more than 70 invited guests, CKW CEO Martin Schwab was primarily pleased that the power plant is finally being built. Because it was a long and rocky road. Schwab positively emphasized the great commitment in Entlebuch. "The region is a pioneer in using its own local energies." At the same time, Schwab warned: “We urgently need to expand the production of renewable energy in Switzerland. The corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine clearly show how dangerous strong dependencies on foreign countries can be, »said Schwab. Today things are progressing much too slowly in Switzerland. “This is primarily due to the long approval process. The Waldemme power plant is the best example of this: it took more than 17 years from the first plans to the groundbreaking.»
"We want to move forward and make a significant contribution to the energy transition in Switzerland – in hydropower, wind power, solar energy and other renewable technologies. But the resistance is often great. This is paradoxical, as we all want the energy transition and need more renewable energies for it."
Electricity for 1500 households The roughly one-year construction phase begins with the ground-breaking ceremony. The water intake is at the hamlet of Matzenbach in Flühli. From this location, part of the water from the Waldemme is routed via a 2.1-kilometer-long underground pressure line to the power plant headquarters, where ecological electricity is produced. The power plant control center is located directly in front of the Lammschlucht at the Chrutacher Bridge. Immediately afterwards, the water is fed back into the natural course of the Waldemme and flows through the Lamm Gorge. The power plant has an output of 1.4 megawatts and produces an average of 6.5 GWh of electricity. This means that clean electricity can be generated from mid-2023, which will cover the annual needs of around 1,500 average four-person households. CKW is investing CHF 12.4 million in the power plant.
In the hamlet of Matzenbach, the water intake (1) takes part of the water from the Waldemme. In the approximately two-kilometer-long underground pressure line (2), the water is routed to the power plant center (3) at the Chrutacher Bridge (4), where it drives a turbine and generates electricity. Directly at the headquarters, the water is fed back into the natural course of the Waldemme and flows through the Lamm Gorge (5), which is untouched by the project. Breaking ground at the Waldemme: (from left) Hans Lipp, Flühli municipal mayor, Fabian Peter, member of the cantonal government and head of the building, environmental and economic departments of the canton of Lucerne, Martin Schwab, CEO of CKW and Hella Schnider-Kretzmähr, Flühli municipal president. Happy about the start of construction: Fabian Peter, member of the government and head of the building, environment and economic department of the canton of Lucerne, and Martin Schwab, CEO of CKW.
About CKW: The CKW Group is a leading Swiss provider of integrated energy and building technology solutions. For more than 125 years, the company has been supplying electricity to over 200,000 end customers in the cantons of Lucerne, Schwyz and Uri. In addition, there are innovative products and services throughout Switzerland in the fields of connectivity & IT infrastructure, electrical engineering, energy technology, IT & communication and security. The CKW Group employs over 2,100 people. With around 350 apprentices in 14 professions, it is the largest private-sector training company in Central Switzerland. In the 2020/21 financial year, CKW generated sales of CHF 916 million. With 81 percent of the shares, Axpo Holding AG is the majority shareholder of CKW. Further information at www.ckw.ch
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