immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Switzerland

  • Spinning mill, girls' home and soon residential area

    Spinning mill, girls' home and soon residential area

    The Emmenhof is located in the center of Derendingen and looks back on a varied history: It began 150 years ago with the establishment of a cotton spinning mill. In 1897 a girls' home was also built. In 1932 there was another change of ownership: when Scolari AG moved in, the Emmenhof served as a pasta production facility until 1973. From then on, various SMEs settled on the 50,000 m² area. Even today there are around 100 companies that have their offices or warehouse here. The area, which has so far only been built on in the southern part, is characterized by its own hydropower plant, the striking factory and the former manufacturer's villa.

    Emmenhof Immobilien AG has planned a fundamental transformation of the area: by 2030, a new quarter with residential offers, leisure facilities, various office and commercial space as well as a catering concept is to be built here. In addition to the preservation of some detached historical buildings, several new buildings are planned. A total of 270 apartments are planned, the construction of which is based on the history of the area.
    Access to the new quarter is marked on the south side by the “Wollturm” with ten floors, an underground car park entrance and a visitor parking lot in front of it. This entrance is followed by the “cotton yard”, which is framed by two buildings and closed off by the historic factory building. The “Garnwerk”, “Turbinenhaus” and “Därberei” buildings are being built in the north of the site. Generous green areas and direct access to the Emmen Canal and the Schluchtbach give the quarter a natural character.

    The development of the area is planned in six stages. The first stage has already been completed and includes the “Spindelgut” project in the southwest. The new building, designed by the architects Liechti Graf Zumsteg, consists of three wings with 14 apartments.

    Emmenhof Energie AG is the area's electricity producer. This enables tenants and owners to obtain sustainable energy: from photovoltaic systems that are installed on the roofs of the new buildings and from hydropower. Hot water and heating get into the houses by means of district heating.

  • University of Basel gets new research building

    University of Basel gets new research building

    The University of Basel is planning to build a new building for the Department of Biomedicine on the site of today's Biozentrum on the Life Science Campus Schällemätteli, the university informs in a message . The department's 70 research groups, which are currently spread across five locations, are to be brought together in the new research building.

    Researchers from basic medical research and from university hospitals are active at the Department of Biomedicine. In the new research building, they will be provided with “the most modern infrastructure and the best framework conditions for high-performance research”, according to the announcement. In this way, the university wants to promote scientific and interdisciplinary exchange and strengthen its own competitiveness.

    The planned building will have around 35,000 square meters of space on two basement and nine upper floors, writes the university. It will be directly adjacent to the pharmaceutical center and offer space for around 700 employees and 200 students. The close proximity to the new buildings for the Biozentrum of the University of Basel and the Department of Biosystems of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich also enables researchers on the Schällemätteli life science campus to “share complex and costly key technologies”.

    The University of Basel will raise the funds for the new building on the financial market, the communication further explains. Construction is scheduled to start in 2023, and the building should be ready for occupancy in 2029. The building application was submitted to the building and transport department of the canton of Basel-Stadt on August 4th. The total contractor responsible for the new building will soon be determined via a public tender.

  • Drone creates digital twin of Zurich

    Drone creates digital twin of Zurich

    Wingtra , a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ), manufactures special drones for aerial photography and remote sensing. It combines the positive properties of multi-rotors and fixed-wing aircraft. The Wingtra drone takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter. At the same time, however, it flies forward as efficiently as an airplane. Thanks to its high payload, the drone can also carry a wide range of cameras.

    Wingtra recently launched the WingtraOne GEN II. This drone enables a new, angled camera configuration for high-quality 3D drone mapping. In order to use the development immediately, Wingtra has created a digital twin of the city of Zurich.

    According to a media release , the drone only needed six hours of flight for the 3D mapping of the city of Zurich. One pixel in the 3D model corresponds to 3 centimeters of information from the real world. It thus represents "a completely new level of detail".

    According to Maximilian Boosfeld, co-founder and CEO of Wingtra, the new Dorohne is “the perfect choice for capturing infrastructure – from a single industrial plant to entire cities”. Detailed 3D data could help city administrations, town planners, engineers and architects, for example, to increase the quality of life in urban areas, to plan critical infrastructures and to simulate changes in the environment.

  • The federal government is also aiming for net zero for soil protection

    The federal government is also aiming for net zero for soil protection

    With its Soil Strategy Switzerland, the Federal Council wants to counteract further soil loss through soil activity, erosion or pollutants. The main concern is that no more land is lost net in Switzerland by 2050. The booklet just published by the Federal Office for Spatial Development in the series “ Forum Spatial Development ” with the title “Dealing with the soil sustainably – the responsibility of spatial development” shows how it can be possible to preserve the soil in the long term.

    It is no coincidence that this goes hand in hand with the also declared net zero target for CO2 emissions, according to Damian Jerjen, Director of the Association for Spatial Planning EspaceSuisse, in a press release by the Federal Office for Spatial Development: "Spatial planning is responsible for its instruments to use for climate protection and thus also to protect the soil. ”Because, on the one hand, these must make a maximum contribution to climate protection. On the other hand, they would help to adapt to the inevitable consequences of climate change.

    In the booklet, Adèle Thorens Goumaz, Councilor of States (Greens / VD) and biodiversity expert, calls for greater specialist knowledge of soil quality to be developed. The decentralized decision-making structure represents an obstacle to sustainable soil management. In an interview, she suggests that we first come to an agreement on the agriculture of the future. "Only then should we start working on spatial planning, not the other way around."

    A report also included in the booklet describes the renaturation work after the construction work on the Ceneri Base Tunnel has been completed. There, enormous masses of earth are returned to their original parcel. They are built into fertile soil and can be used for growing vegetables after a few years.

    The booklet can be ordered in writing and for a fee from the Bern Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics . It is also available online and free of charge with audio contributions and photo series.

  • Riverside benefits from pop-up pickling

    Riverside benefits from pop-up pickling

    The Riverside in Zuchwil combines the best of both worlds: urban amenities and rural tranquility. The owner is the Swiss Prime Investment Foundation, which not only attaches great importance to careful treatment of the environment, not only in this sensitive development. "For us, a holistic, sustainable development of this former Sulzer industrial area also includes regular exchange with the surrounding area and the community in order to be able to respond to the current needs of society in the further development of the existing master plan," says Tobias Hossfeld, Head Development at of Swiss Prime Site Solutions AG, the asset management team of the investment foundation. Markus Hauri, a genuine Solothurn native and his team from mha GmbH, is responsible for the structural developments. At the same time, Andreas Brunner and his team from Wincasa MUSM are working on the best possible management and marketing of the new quarter, which offers space for a wide variety of uses such as living, leisure and business. Seen in this way, around 20 people are permanently busy with the riverside area.

    Lots of momentum
    Last year the RiverYard garden pub was created in an industrial look, which not only received a lot of popularity from the region, but also works wonderfully as a marketing tool. Many guests were already interested in renting an apartment, even though the shell was not even finished. "We did not expect such a rapid momentum of its own", says Leo Smeets, Head Letting at Swiss Prime Site Solutions AG. He believes this development will continue in the future. The restaurateur would also like to stay on the site for the long term and is already working on new ideas with the development team. In the area of living, too, development is being advanced with care and continuity. Various projects are being worked out in line with ongoing demand and will be implemented in the coming years.

    Proximity to the quarter
    Riverside management is currently looking forward to inquiries from other interested parties, for example from the retail and service sectors or the catering industry. Seen in this way, the development from a former industrial area to a lively, diverse quarter is working very well. According to Hauri, more and more people are recognizing the qualities of the area and are able to establish a closeness. The effects of the pandemic have also resulted in only a few changes in rental inquiries.

  • Home office survey SVIT Zurich

    Home office survey SVIT Zurich

    Almost a thousand people took part in the SVIT Zurich survey in 2020. That is why SVIT Zurich is currently launching another survey on this topic. In this, the experience from the past year is asked and the current assessment in the home office is explored. The evaluation provides insights into the implementation of home office models and illustrates what works for whom, what framework conditions are necessary and where there is a need for action.

    In addition, the SVIT Zurich will again use the survey to develop recommendations for the development of industry standards. Answering the questions takes about 5 minutes. Your answers will only be evaluated in aggregated form. The knowledge gained is finally recorded in a documentation as a guide and made available to the participants (if the sender is available) haptically or digitally.

    Click here for the survey: https://zimraum.limequery.com/524351?lang=de

    As a thank you, SVIT Zurich is giving away five vouchers for Digitec, each worth CHF 300. Thanks very much.

  • Solothurn receives a new waste incineration plant

    Solothurn receives a new waste incineration plant

    Kebag in Zuchwil disposes of 221,000 tons of waste annually and supplies the region with district heating and electricity. It is the third largest waste recycling company in Switzerland. 85 percent of the waste comes from the 1,178 municipalities in the cantons of Bern and Solothurn. However, the plant will be 50 years old in 2025 – and will thus reach its age limit. In order to ensure environmentally friendly disposal in the future, a new system is essential. Because with increasing age, failures increase, which lead to expensive business interruptions and disposal bottlenecks, as the company writes on its website.

    The company in Emmenspitz is already the largest electricity producer in the region. Throughout Switzerland, the largest proportion of electrical energy is obtained from the rubbish. The planned plant, called Kebag Enova, will in future be able to generate up to 15 percent more energy from the same amount of waste thanks to the latest technology. A special fabric filter and multi-stage flue gas cleaning lead to an almost complete reduction in pollutants. The investment costs amount to between CHF 450 and 500 million. But the new building cannot be implemented without any compromises: 11,000 square meters of forest had to be cleared. As compensation, Kebag is providing the same amount of replacement afforestation at other locations in the canton of Solothurn.
    The company TBF + Partner AG from Zurich was commissioned with the planning mandate. Penzel Valier AG won the architecture competition in 2017. The Kebag Enova will have two instead of four incineration lines. Larger furnace lines are planned for this, which ensure greater energy efficiency. The building envelope is fitted with solar panels, making it currently the largest photovoltaic facade system in Switzerland. The chimney is attached to the side of the building and rises 80 meters in height. There is a viewing room at the top of this concrete shaft.

    One or the other challenge had to be overcome beforehand: A significant change had to be made in 2018 to the cooling. The kebag has always used river water cooling. Cooling is essential so that electricity can be generated and the steam required for this can be used. Due to the revised Water Protection Ordinance, which came into force in mid-2018, the decision was made to use air instead of river water cooling for the new building. In addition, a test showed that the subsoil was not stable enough for the Kebag Enova. Thanks to a pile and slab foundation, this problem could also be solved.

    The planning application was finally submitted in 2019. The groundbreaking took place on May 7, 2020. Commissioning is planned for the beginning of 2025.

  • Create new living space

    Create new living space

    The Attisholz-Nord area is very large and has massive industrial buildings from bygone times. Cellulose was produced industrially on the Attisholz site for 130 years. Over the next 20 years, the area is to become a lively place for living, working, business, education, research, living, experiencing and enjoying. «There will be offers for all population groups with the most varied of needs in
    find all phases of life », says Andreas Campi from the real estate developer Halter AG. “The area has huge development potential for the realization of a new living space in an intact landscape with diverse typologies, renovated factory buildings and new buildings. In addition, the city of Solothurn with its high density of cultural offerings is located a short distance away. "

    The former factory halls can be used as an event location.

    Start of construction in autumn 2023
    The public edition of the land use planning has just been completed. As the next planning step, study orders are carried out, which form the basis for the subsequent design plan and the building permit process. In fact, the pandemic had no impact on the planning: “Since we made the relevant information available digitally and online, the planning could take place as originally scheduled. Video presentations made comprehensive information possible. This was also possible thanks to the good cooperation with the municipality of Riedholz. " The planned start of construction for the first stage is now in autumn 2023.

  • Pandemic stimulates housing market

    Pandemic stimulates housing market

    The number of advertisements for rental apartments on Swiss real estate portals increased by around 13 percent year-on-year between April 2020 and March 2021, writes SVIT Switzerland in a statement on the current online housing index (OWI). It is prepared every six months by the Association of the Real Estate Industry in cooperation with the Swiss Real Estate Institute . In the current OWI, the analysts registered around 513,000 advertisements for rental apartments.

    The average period for which an apartment has to be offered until it is rented has simultaneously been reduced by two to 32 days, the analysts further explain in the press release. For them, the shortened advertising time and the increasing number of advertisements are a sign of increasing demand on the rental housing market with a simultaneous decrease in rental periods. "It can be assumed that the pandemic was the trigger for many tenants to review and adjust their own living situation," the message says.

    In 21 of 26 cantons, the analysts observed a year-on-year decrease in advertising time. The advertising times in French-speaking Switzerland have hardly changed, while in German-speaking Switzerland they have decreased in all cantons. The canton of Zug currently has the shortest advertising time at 14 days. Ticino ranks at the other end of the scale. Here, apartments have to be advertised on average for almost two months before they can be rented.

    In the cities, the analysts observed a “sharp rise” in advertisements for rental apartments in the reporting period. After 3.5 percent in the previous year, the number of advertisements in the “Corona year” in the twelve cities examined increased by 32 percent. However, because the average length of advertising has barely increased, the analysts assume that there will be relocations within the cities. "The much-cited urban escape" could not be proven with the figures, it says in the message.

  • Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    The Federal Roads Office ( FEDRO ) has launched the FEDRO Bridge pilot project. According to a press release , this is a mobile bridge for use in maintenance work on motorways. The traffic is slowed down at 60 kilometers per hour over the almost 240 meter long bridge. Underneath there is a space of around 100 meters where work can be carried out undisturbed by road traffic. When the construction phase is finished, the mobile bridge is pushed a hundred meters further and the work continues.

    This eliminates the barriers and shutdowns of sections of the roadway that are otherwise necessary for occupational safety. You can also work unhindered during the day. With today's traffic volume on many sections of the motorway, it has not been possible to reduce lanes for maintenance work during the day for a long time, according to the statement from the Federal Office. Accordingly, more and more construction work on the national highways has to be carried out at night. ASTRA believes that lane reduction without traffic jams on the main axes such as A1 and A2 is only possible after 11 p.m. Because of the lower noise limits, some work such as noisy demolition is not possible at night.

    The Federal Office therefore decided to develop and build the ASTRA Bridge. In the fact sheet for the mobile bridge, the length is specified as exactly 236 meters, the width as 7.30 meters and the height as 4.32 meters. Underneath, it is possible to work on a hundred meters at a width of 5.2 meters and a height of 3.10 meters.

    The ASTRA Bridge is equipped with a landing gear. Raised hydraulically by 10 centimeters, it can travel lengthways and crossways. Once the work under the bridge has been completed, it will continue to drive 100 meters by remote control for the next construction phase, according to the fact sheet. To assemble the bridge before use, 18 low-loaders are required for transport and four cranes are required for assembly.

    According to the Federal Office, the individual elements for the ASTRA Bridge are currently being built and then transported to the bridge's storage area in Rothrist TG. The bridge is to be assembled and tested for the first time in late autumn. If these tests are satisfactory, the ASTRA Bridge will be used in spring 2022 as a pilot project for paving renovations on the A1 section between Recherswil SO and Kriegstetten SO. According to the press release, the ASTRA Bridge prototype will cost around CHF 20 million. After completion of a construction project and a maintenance phase, it can be used again for the next construction project.

  • Everything new in front of the Olten train station

    Everything new in front of the Olten train station

    Olten train station is one of the busiest train hubs in Switzerland. The square in front of it is an important traffic hub and has a high volume of car traffic, buses, pedestrians and bicycles. He is also an important figurehead for the city.

    The Bahnhofplatz is showing its age, however – it is becoming less and less able to meet the growing demands. Therefore, the project Neuer Bahnhofplatz Olten nbo provides for a comprehensive reorganization and redesign.

    The square and its adjacent streets should meet the various mobility needs of the city and region – with sufficient capacity for traffic, an expanded bus station, a large bicycle station, underground parking and separate areas for taxis, short-term parking and “kiss and ride”. A large roof following the platform will mark the entrance area to the train station and give it a new face.

    Continuous terraces on both sides of the station bridge should invite you to linger. A new footbridge is intended to act as a tension band bridge for pedestrians and bicycles, providing direct access from the left bank of the river to the train station and the new bicycle station. With the extension of the Hardegg pedestrian underpass, a new, direct access from the train station to the Aare area will be created.

    In 2012, the canton of Solothurn, the city of Olten and SBB Immobilien joined forces to form a builders' association. In 2019 they presented the project to the population as part of a public participation. The tender for the master builder work is to take place in 2024. The phased realization of the new station square with ongoing operations is planned for the period 2025 to 2028.

  • Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    The city of Winterthur originally intended to acquire the Ob dem See holiday home in Davos Wolfgang from the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and then to sell it together with an adjacent, city-owned playground, the city administration of Winterthur informed in a message . In the context of an invitation to tender, however, a buyer could be found who would purchase both pieces of land individually and who would complete the purchase in the land registry immediately after the public notarization. The holiday colony Sonnenschein AG, founded especially for the purchase, wants to continue operating the property as a holiday colony.

    The company from Freienbach was able to prevail against two competitors in the corresponding tender, the message also states. The purchase price mentioned there is 2.54 million francs for the holiday home property belonging to the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and 1.16 million francs for the adjacent playground.

    The holiday colony association will donate around 1 million francs to the city of Winterthur from its sales proceeds. The city administration explains that the donation is earmarked and will be used by the city of Winterthur for a newly established children and youth fund. The funds of the fund are intended for children and young people living in the city of Winterthur.

  • From the biscuit bakery to the center district

    From the biscuit bakery to the center district

    In 2022, the Trimbach community will say goodbye to its longstanding figurehead: the Wernli biscuit factory. Since the beginning of the 20th century, they have been making their biscuits, which are known throughout Switzerland, on the Breiti site.

    Following the takeover of Wernli AG by Hug AG in 2008, the production site will soon be relocated to the new owner's headquarters in Malters, Lucerne. This frees up the space in the best location in the center of Trimbach for a new use.

    The new owner of the area, Aare Liegenschaften AG, is developing a new residential area in close cooperation with the municipality. In order to determine the most coherent concept, a study contract was awarded. The Rykart Architekten AG project emerged as the winner from the proposals submitted. The architects won over the jury with an overall urban planning concept that provides for a residential complex with around 150 apartments. The few, compact buildings fit harmoniously into the existing structure of the district.

    Four 4- to 6-storey buildings are planned for the front, flatter part of the site. Three higher buildings with up to 9 storeys will be erected in the rear part along the edge of the forest. Thanks to the different heights, the various buildings fit smoothly into their surroundings. Condominiums are planned in the three rear buildings and rental apartments in the four front buildings. An underground car park and bicycle parking spaces are also planned.
    The “Wernli-Haus” on Baslerstrasse has been preserved as a witness of the industrial past and forms the entrance to the development. A place with trees, which is also available to the surrounding quarters, serves as a meeting place. The future residents are to have their own square in the center of the settlement in the upper area. To the side of this there are two tree groves, a playground and a lawn. The exposed Gämpfibach flows through the entire site.

    Public-oriented commercial uses are planned on the ground floors along the streets. Thanks to its location right in the center, the new quarter already offers optimal connections to public and private transport. The area itself remains car-free and is characterized by a well-developed network of paths.

    The winning project is currently being further developed and revised. At the same time, the development and layout plan is drawn up. The planning work should be completed in mid-2022.

  • Construction activity is declining

    Construction activity is declining

    According to the real estate barometer of Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ) for the second quarter of 2021, the number of projected apartments in planning applications has decreased by 23 percent compared to 2018. According to the ZKB analysts, this is related to high vacancy rates in peripheral regions, to which investors would have reacted accordingly. In urban centers with low vacancy rates, construction activity is picking up again in some cases, according to the barometer.

    Lausanne and Zurich are cited as examples. In the cantons of Geneva and Basel-Stadt, however, the analysts have observed a decline in construction activity. They attribute this to the high regulatory hurdles typical of urban areas and the scarcity of building land. Overall, however, the analysts state that “new apartments are increasingly being planned where the demand for living space is high”.

    In the canton of Zurich, the desire for one's own four walls, which has been intensified by the pandemic, is further explained in the barometer. According to him, house prices have increased by 5.5 percent over the previous year and 2.9 percent over the previous quarter. At the same time, the analysts see a shrinking of the offers advertised on real estate portals. They explain this with the fact that many properties are marketed by regional brokers or are already sold before construction begins. For this year and the following, the analysts are assuming excess demand in the residential property market across Switzerland.

  • Jaisli-Xamax is working on the Vechigen school complex

    Jaisli-Xamax is working on the Vechigen school complex

    The electrical company Jaisli-Xamax from Dietikon carries out all electrical installations for the overall renovation and expansion of the Stämpbach school complex in Vechigen. According to a report in the employee newspaper Brilli's News , the work will be carried out during the three implementation phases while the school is still running. “One of the challenges was to carry out the work while the school was still in operation,” the construction fitter Adrian Thürig is quoted as saying. Nevertheless, it was possible to "produce a clean performance".

    The work will be carried out in three stages. According to Jaisli-Xamax, the new construction of the kindergarten, the day school, the special wing and the intermediate wing as well as the renovation of the two gyms were realized in the first construction phase. The renovation of the east class wing and the expansion of the group rooms were implemented in the second construction phase. The work on the third construction phase is still ongoing. The West class wing will be renovated.

    According to project manager Luciano Matturro from Jaisli-Xamax, the cooperation with everyone involved in the construction and with the school went smoothly. Matturro was quoted as saying that he was proud that the on-site team did its job well while the school was in operation. Matturro: “We are now on the final spurt to successfully complete the third construction phase.” Two apprentices from Jaisli-Xamax also worked on the project in the canton of Bern.

  • The canton master builder as a bridge builder

    The canton master builder as a bridge builder

    You have been a cantonal master builder since August 1, 2019 and thus head of the building construction department. What were your motivations for taking on this post?
    Before that, I had already been the deputy of the former cantonal master builder for several years. This gave me a good insight into the area of responsibility. I like the interaction between the various players from politics, the private sector and the public sector. I like to take on the role of the “interpreter” between the parties and try to find solutions based on consensus. The plans and projects to be worked on are exciting and often unusual. We mainly take care of structures with special or specific uses.

    What does a typical working day look like for you?
    One quality that all of our employees must have is the ability to multitask (laughs). I deal with personnel issues, budget planning and try to think with my team as forward-looking as possible: What requirements will buildings have to meet in the future? I also deal with innovative technologies such as new digital planning landscapes, increasing automation in the construction industry or the use of robotics and 3D printers.

    You worked in the private sector until 2004. How do you experience changing sides?
    The change was big, especially at the beginning. The canton has around 2,650 employees, 630 of whom are in the building and justice departments. An enormous amount of know-how is concentrated here. I first had to realize that I could fall back on these skills. The complexity of the buildings – for example a museum, a prison or a hospital – are extremely demanding in every project phase. The work as a cantonal master builder is thematically diverse in any case. In contrast to before, I am present in every phase of the planning and construction process.

    Government councilor Roland Fürst addressed the planned new administrative building. What's the schedule?
    By the end of 2022, we would like to create a basis for decision-making for the government council and show possibilities where suitable land or buildings are available in the canton of Solothurn in order to implement the project. The corona pandemic will certainly have an impact on space requirements and working methods. We are currently in the process of analyzing them. Our findings will be incorporated into a possible implementation of the project.

    What does the real estate portfolio you have to manage look like?
    It is made up of financial, administrative and foundation assets. The administrative assets, with the buildings required for operation, have the largest share. But we also have interesting uses and buildings in terms of financial assets: For example, a hotel and various restaurants and plots that are available for the settlement of interesting companies or for any personal use. We have 320 canton-owned buildings, 60 of which are in the city of Solothurn. The purpose of our real estate strategy is to ensure a sustainable real estate portfolio that is suitable for use in order to fulfill the cantonal tasks.

    What are the largest items in the portfolio in terms of value?
    The building insurance value is CHF 1.628 billion. Until the planned transfer to Solothurner Spitäler AG, half a billion will be allocated to the hospital and educational buildings. The other properties such as administration buildings or penal systems make up the remaining almost CHF 600 million. In any case, I have never before dealt with such a heterogeneous portfolio: It ranges from underground historical military facilities to ruins, castles, churches, agricultural land and ultra-modern laboratory and hospital buildings.

    "We check the use of BIM on a case-by-case basis"

    What values does the building department represent in the projects to be worked on?
    The government council has formulated a strategy which, on the one hand, provides for property before rent. We had and still have many rental properties today. Now one would like to rely more on property again. That is why we are currently also working on a possible new central administration building. In addition, the overall concept comes before individual measures. Furthermore, spatial planning, urban planning and architectural aspects are very important to us. Just like ecological and energetic issues. Ultimately, we build people for ourselves.

    What challenges do you see yourself confronted with in the future?
    Covid-19 has changed a lot. This could have an impact on society and the construction industry. Increased home office and desk and room sharing may free up usable space in very attractive locations. These could be used differently and influence the housing shortage in numerous small and large cities in Switzerland. Climate changes in cities are also current issues. The possible use of recycling materials is exciting. Likewise, conversions, new ways of working and changing demands of employers and employees should continue to occupy me. An additional point is the emerging change in the conclusion of service and work contracts, especially in the conclusion of building rights contracts.

    What energy strategy is the building construction department pursuing?
    The installation of photovoltaic systems is a matter of course for us. We have analyzed the entire portfolio for the suitability of such systems and have already implemented various. With us, Minergie or Minergie-Eco is standard. This gained a foothold in Switzerland in 1998. We recently compared the energy consumption of our buildings before and after 1998: The buildings before the introduction require around three times as much heating energy. On the other hand, after 1998 we recorded electricity consumption in the buildings that was approximately twice as high. The share of electricity-dependent installations in general and operating facilities in particular has increased sharply in new buildings.

    What does the digitization strategy look like for new construction projects?
    In current construction projects – such as the planned new construction of the central prison – we intend to use Building Information Modeling (BIM) during the entire planning phase. For now, we will examine the benefits of BIM on a case-by-case basis.

    Could you imagine working with virtual reality in the future?
    Virtual reality brings great advantages – especially for people who cannot imagine models or visualizations so vividly. I am very confident that we will use such solutions in the years to come.

    What future plans do you have for the civil engineering department?
    We would like to continue to analyze, plan and implement high-quality buildings with foresight and care. With a good team behind us, this will also be possible in the future.

  • SV Hotel is planning two concepts in a new building in Hamburg

    SV Hotel is planning two concepts in a new building in Hamburg

    SV Hotel is continuing its growth strategy in one of the most important and strongest hotel markets in Germany. In the Hamburg city center, directly on the famous Mönckebergstrasse, SV Hotel will implement two concepts in a new building. "It is a unique project that we were able to develop in this prominent location with our partner Redevco," Beat Kuhn, Managing Director of SV Hotel, is quoted in a press release.

    The real estate investment manager Redevco is replacing the current C&A building with a climate-neutral new building with mixed use for hotels, retail and catering. It was designed by the renowned London architecture firm Sergison Bates . It had won the architecture competition announced by Redevco and the city of Hamburg.

    On eight floors, the building combines a Hyatt Centric boutique hotel with the so-called Stay KooooK extended stay concept developed by SV Hotel itself. The Hyatt Centric's 185 elegant rooms and suites will occupy the second through eighth floors. The roof terrace and hotel bar offer a view of the harbor. To this end, SV Hotel becomes the new franchisee of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation . Beat Kuhn sees this as an “ideal addition” to the SV Hotel portfolio: “We share common values with Hyatt and the understanding that good hospitality can be experienced through the quality of design and service.”

    The 85 studios of the Stay KoooK concept are located on the fifth to eighth floors. Long-term guests as well as business and leisure travelers will find a sharing solution with the service of a good hotel, including a roof terrace with a view of the town hall and the Inner Alster.

    According to Volker Thamm, Director Business Development SV Hotel, the cooperation with all those involved was so “professional and efficient” that SV Hotel could “very well” imagine “developing further projects together”.

  • UZH wants to generate electricity on a green roof

    UZH wants to generate electricity on a green roof

    The University of Zurich is to have a new teaching and learning center, the FORUM UZH, by 2028. According to a message on Monday, the cantonal building construction department submitted the building pre-submission. Afterwards, the seven-story building designed by the Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron will be erected as a wood hybrid construction with a concrete structure. The use of wood is supposed to save as much CO2 as is needed to build 77 single-family houses.

    The roof is to be greened intensively, thereby improving cooling in summer and thermal insulation in winter. At the same time, the roof will have a photovoltaic system. This should generate around 150 megawatt hours per year, enough electricity for 50 households.

    Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024. In the future, the building will have 700 workplaces for students and work space for 6000 members of the university.

  • New place and drinking fountain inaugurated at JED

    New place and drinking fountain inaugurated at JED

    The new place at the JED in Schlieren has been inaugurated. According to Gianfranco Basso from Swiss Prime Site Immobilien AG , after a three-year, intensive construction phase and a staggered commissioning of the new center, the essential work on the surrounding area has been completed. The construction fences have disappeared and the converted former printing center of the NZZ has now become an open area and thus part of the public space.

    The new square was officially opened on Thursday and the drinking fountain was inaugurated. The opening began with a speech from Basso. This was followed by a greeting from Stefano Kunz, City Councilor and Head of Construction and Planning. Then it was called “water march” for the drinking fountain and there was an aperitif at the fountain. This was followed by a joint lunch for representatives from politics, authorities, those involved in the project and those responsible for JED in the restaurant eve’s kitchen, right on the square.

    The owner Swiss Prime Site found the name JED for the old printing center that has been converted for today’s use. It stands for join. Explore. Dare – connect, discover, dare. The JED has good connections just outside Zurich. With a direct connection to the Limmattalbahn and 500 meters from Schlieren train station, the location is well connected to the public transport network.

  • Holzernte hat 2020 zugenommen

    Holzernte hat 2020 zugenommen

    Mit 4,8 Millionen Kubikmetern wurden 2020 insgesamt 4 Prozent mehr Holz geschlagen als im Vorjahr. Vergleicht man diese Menge mit dem Durchschnitt der Jahre 2016 bis 2019, so resultierte ein Plus von 1 Prozent. Der seit 2016 steigende Trend zu mehr geerntetem Nadelholz setzte sich auch im vergangenen Jahr fort: Dessen Ernte stieg um 8 Prozent auf 3,4 Millionen Kubikmeter.

    Wie das Statistische Bundesamt in der Schweizerischen Forststatistik 2020 weiter dokumentiert, setzte sich dagegen der Rückgang der Laubholzernte weiter fort. Mit 1,4 Millionen Kubikmeter wurden 3 Prozent weniger geschlagen als im Vorjahr. Gleichzeitig werden wegen der Klimaveränderung und des zunehmenden Aufwands bei der Bekämpfung des Borkenkäfers immer mehr Laubbäume neu gepflanzt, vor allem im Mittelland. 563’000 Bäume markierten dort gegenüber 2019 ein Plus von 9 Prozent. Gleichzeitig gingen die Nadelholzpflanzungen mit 430’000 Bäumen um 8 Prozent zurück.

    Ein weiterer Trend ist seit 2016 ungebrochen: In der Schweiz wird immer mehr Hackholz verwendet. 2020 waren es mit 1,2 Millionen Kubikmetern rund 5 Prozent mehr Holz als Hackschnitzel. Dagegen sinkt die Ernte von Energiestückholz stetig: von 0,75 Millionen Kubikmetern im Jahr 2016 auf 0,70 Kubikmeter im Jahr 2020. Das meistgeerntete Holz bleibt Stammholz. Dieses Segment wuchs nach einem starken Rückgang im Vorjahr wieder um 5 Prozent.

    Die Einnahmen der 660 Schweizer Forstbetriebe sanken 2020 um 2 Prozent auf 525 Millionen Franken. Deren Ausgaben nahmen um 1 Prozent auf 569 Millionen Franken ab. Daraus resultierte eine Unterdeckung von rund 44 Millionen Franken. Das sind 5 Prozent mehr als 2019 und 13 Prozent mehr als im Durchschnitt der Jahre 2016 bis 2019.

    Bei den 160 Betrieben aus dem forstwirtschaftlichen Testbetriebsnetz der Schweiz, die eine Vollkostenrechnung führen, verschlechterte sich die Situation im Vergleich zum Vorjahr. Durch erhöhte Kosten und tiefere Erlöse hat sich deren Defizit pro Hektare produktive Waldfläche um 6 Franken auf 66 Franken vergrössert.

  • "We will launch the electronic submission of building applications this year"

    "We will launch the electronic submission of building applications this year"

    You are head of the building and justice department. What is the attraction of this office?
    I've been on the road for community welfare for over 40 years. Of these, I was the mayor of the community of Gunzgen for 14 years, then a cantonal councilor for 8 years and since then a member of the government council for as long. I am attracted by the active participation and shaping of political, social and cultural issues as well as searching for and finding solutions. I not only want to manage the canton, but also to advance it. What I generally like about my department is the range of topics and the diversity of the employees in terms of expertise and character.

    Where do you see the specific challenges that the office brings with it?
    Spatial planning and mobility are and will remain important issues. But there are also changes in the climate, digitization and society that must be taken into account.

    How far is your department specifically on the subject of digitization?
    In the department, as well as in administration in general, we are still relatively new. I am surprised that the public sector has not made any significant progress in 2021. We have been trying to advance digitization in the department for a long time – accompanying workshops are intended to support this. I see digitization as a key issue that absolutely has to be implemented quickly. However, there are still obstacles, starting with data protection aspects and ending with a lack of financial or personal resources.

    The canton of Aargau, for example, has introduced the digital submission of building applications with eBau. Is that also an issue in the canton of Solothurn?
    It's not just an issue. The project is already well advanced: We are already working internally with a pilot project. This works fine; we will soon be ready to offer this service throughout the canton. The aim is for all interested municipalities to be able to submit building applications digitally this year. We are also currently working on the introduction of document management software (DMS). A pilot project that provides for a digital archive is currently running in the building construction department.

    It feels like the canton of Solothurn is in a real building boom. Is this perception deceptive?
    No, it really is. The largest projects with an investment volume of 450 million francs include the new Kebag Enova facility, 340 million francs are being built for the new citizens' hospital, and 86 million francs have been budgeted for the overall renovation of the Olten Cantonal School. But big things are also happening on the Attisholz North and South areas. An important project is Biogen's biopharmaceutical production facility in Luterbach: the first stage was 1.6 billion Swiss francs. Hopefully more stages will follow. But we also have around 2000 residential units in and around the city of Solothurn that are either planned or already under construction.

    What about your own projects?
    We are currently looking into building a new education campus as well as a new administration building where different locations could be concentrated. Optimizing the sports infrastructure in the city of Solothurn is also an issue.

    From a cantonal point of view, are there still sufficient building land reserves to implement all of these projects?
    We are currently busy with spatial planning development. Here we find that the building land reserves should be sufficient for the next 15 years. But this also means that no new land will be zoned during this period. In return, none have to be zoned out. We also have many industrial wastelands or otherwise fallow land that we can convert.

    "The building department stands for solutions – not for managing problems"

    What makes the canton of Solothurn so attractive for new construction projects?
    On the one hand, we are very central and also offer a lot of quality of living and tranquility. The people of Solothurn particularly appreciate the Jura landscape and the diverse cultural offerings. Solothurn is also known as the most beautiful Swiss baroque city. We are also well connected to public transport and private motorized transport. And our land prices are still affordable. From an economic point of view, we have many innovative companies and niche players who are attracting attention worldwide, such as Ypsomed (insulin pump system) or Jura Elekt-roapparate (premium coffee machines).

    Which construction projects have you helped shape during your tenure so far?
    As a government councilor, of course, I don't work on projects myself – but I pave the political path and thus enable the start. I was most actively involved in the development of the Attisholz Süd area: As a former director of the Solothurn Chamber of Commerce, I was already involved in the test planning. One highlight is the transformation of the former Schöngrün prison into a residential complex. But I also have fond memories of the renovation of the Altes Zeughaus Museum and the indoor swimming pool at the Olten Cantonal School, where, by the way, I went to school myself. I also accompanied the project for the renovation and conversion of the Rosengarten property intensively – with this project we had to go to the federal court.

    The Capuchin monastery in Solothurn, the Fridau psychiatric clinic and the Allerheiligenberg high altitude clinic are considered problem children. What exactly are the problems with these objects?
    These three projects are simply not a sure-fire success. They are located in zones that do not allow every use. The Allerheiligenberg, for example, is located in the agricultural zone. There are additional usage restrictions here: the surrounding hospitals must not be allowed to compete. In addition, there is the financial outlay, which is immense for such large projects. The Capuchin monastery, for example, is a listed building. The Fridau Clinic is located together with the Allerheiligenberg in the Jura protection zone. The difficulties mentioned require a lot of patience from investors and owners.

    An inventory of spatial planning is currently taking place at the cantonal level. What is the detailed plan?
    The whole of Switzerland is challenged when it comes to spatial planning. The revision of the Spatial Planning Act from 2014 requires all cantons to revise the structure plans. We have already done this. Now all municipalities have to revise their local planning. We count 107 municipalities in the canton of Solothurn – it takes time before all thoughts on further development within the framework of the cantonal requirements have been made. The inward development of the settlement poses major challenges for the community. The Solothurn municipalities will have completed this process within the next five years.

    What about urban sprawl in the canton of Solothurn?
    In the past, people certainly paid too little attention to this – but that should apply to all of Switzerland. The municipalities supported the new spatial planning law by a majority in the run-up to the vote. What a law really means can often only be seen when it is implemented. This is also the case here – the accusation arises that the canton or the federal government would prevent a municipality from developing. In the canton of Solothurn, however, we are on the right track. The need for internal densification is now firmly anchored in the minds of those responsible for the community. The majority deal very well with the new challenges and framework conditions.

    The municipalities enjoy a great deal of autonomy in the canton of Solothurn. Do you perceive these as an advantage or disadvantage in the performance of your office?
    I know both sides. As a mayor, it's an advantage – as a councilor it's a disadvantage (laughs). No, seriously: The autonomy is one thing, the other is the high number of communities: We have 107. But we maintain a good exchange with the community association, so we always find solutions.
    They are stepping down in the summer for health reasons. Do you already have plans for the time after that?
    I will definitely continue to be active. I have already accepted various board memberships and have other open inquiries. But first I'll take care of my old sports injuries and then I'll see how things go from here.

    What do you wish for the future of the building department?
    The building department stands for adherence to deadlines, adherence to budgets, speedy work and high quality. It should stay that way even after my retreat. Of course, I don't just want to hand over the projects to the new hands, I also want my heart and soul to continue to flow into it. Our credo is: The building construction department stands for solutions and not for managing problems.

  • Complete renovation of the Olten Cantonal School

    Complete renovation of the Olten Cantonal School

    Work at the canton school in Olten has been going on for five years. Around 1000 pupils are taught at the school, which was completed in 1973 by the architects Marc Funk and Hans-Ulrich Fuhrimann. Construction work is ongoing in parallel. The architectural office Batimo AG Architekten SIA from Olten, which specializes in renovation strategies and has already renovated numerous school buildings, was commissioned.

    "In order not to impair school operations too much, we have postponed the most noisy work to the school holidays according to specifications and in consultation with the school management," explains Dario Pagliari – he is responsible for construction management on the part of Batimo AG. The overall renovation includes a complete renovation of the building services and the facade, slight floor plan adjustments, the elimination of technical defects and an adjustment to the current standard in terms of fire protection, earthquake safety and energy efficiency.

    Great attention is then also paid to improved energy efficiency: the modified building envelope, an optimized, natural ventilation concept as well as a geothermal heat pump system and the installation of a solar system reduce the energy consumption of the buildings by around 67 percent. The annual CO2 emissions are reduced by 732 tons, which translates into annual energy cost savings of around 200,000 francs.

    The work was divided into different stages: "Right at the beginning we replaced the windows and carried out the insulation work both inside and on the flat roofs," explains Pagliari. The work on the indoor swimming pool, the cafeteria, the auditorium as well as the workrooms and gyms have already been completed. The premises are currently being adapted to the changing needs of school operations, as the site manager explains. A floor can be renovated in a three-month stage. The pupils of the corresponding classes are meanwhile being taught in the specially built temporary school facility with eight classrooms. There are a total of two school wings with ten and five floors each.

    The last stage will include work on the surrounding area as well as the renovation of the sports fields and underground car park. Once all the work has been completed, the Olten Cantonal School should be fit for another 40 years of operation at its special location in the elevated forest area not far from the train station.

  • Luxury real estate is on the rise

    Luxury real estate is on the rise

    According to UBS , the pandemic has sparked a sharp surge in demand for luxury real estate. As their recently published study “ UBS Luxury Property Focus 2021 ” shows, demand rose by more than half compared to the previous year. This is about three times as high as the five-year mean. As a result, prices also rose above average: "The excess demand caused prices in the luxury segment to skyrocket by 9 percent in 2020 – significantly more than the 4.4 percent in the average Swiss home market," said UBS real estate expert Katharina Hofer in a press release quoted.

    UBS is making a “gold rush” on Lake Geneva. The municipality of Cologny remains the most expensive luxury real estate market in Switzerland. In the luxury communities near Geneva, prices rose by an average of around 16 percent over the course of a year. The highest-priced properties in Gstaad can be found on the second home market. In the Upper Engadin, the luxury segment begins just below the purchase prices there. Luxury properties in mountain communities were also 10 percent more expensive. In contrast, the price increases in the Lake Zurich region and in Central Switzerland were more moderate with an average of 6 percent.

    The UBS report cites the positive development of the financial markets as the reasons for the high demand. In addition, the long-term intrinsic value was particularly attractive in view of the uncertain economic development. In addition, the study notes an increased interest from abroad. "Because the local measures to contain the pandemic were far less restrictive than, for example, in France, Italy or Great Britain." A large part of the foreign demand comes from these countries. UBS also cites the low risk of higher taxes in this country for top earners and the good health system as motives.

    UBS expects that current demand drivers will also remain in effect in the second half of the year. Accordingly, an above-average number of transactions and local price increases can still be expected. And the trend should continue beyond the year, so Hofer: "Anyone looking for a place with stable institutions and established luxury locations in global luxury markets should increasingly focus on Switzerland."

  • Industrial wasteland is becoming a place of work for companies

    Industrial wasteland is becoming a place of work for companies

    There used to be a cement factory and chemical works here. Today the 75,000 Reichhold area is a huge industrial wasteland. Now it is to become the Reichhold campus.

    In 2012, Hiag bought the site, half of which is on the ground of the municipalities of Hausen and Lupfig. She has carried out the remediation of contaminated sites by 2020. According to the vision of the owner, traditional commercial operations such as a carpenter's workshop should find space here, as well as industrial companies with development and production departments or SMEs such as a catering company. The versatile space is to be adapted to the needs of the tenants.

    The idea of sharing is very important on the Reichhold campus. Not only meeting rooms and co-working spaces, but also bicycles and motorized vehicles should be bookable by the hour via an app. In addition, the planned structures should encourage the individual companies to use infrastructures such as the reception, the canteen or exhibition rooms together. Restaurants, take-aways, shops with everyday goods, a day-care center and a fitness studio should also make the environment attractive for the employees of the local companies.

    Sustainability plays an important role on the Reichhold campus. Innovative materials on and in the buildings, renewable energy and solar panels are part of the self-image of the campus. There are numerous meadows and green spaces around the building.

    The building application for the first projects is to be submitted from 2022. If everything goes according to plan, the first properties will be ready for occupancy from summer 2023.

  • Forest Tower: creative center in the lower Aare valley

    Forest Tower: creative center in the lower Aare valley

    As a six-storey building with a wooden facade and ribbon windows, the Forest Tower protrudes over the Kleindöttingen industrial park – an area with an industrial history in the lower Aare valley, which is now primarily used by logistics-intensive and production-oriented companies as a location.

    The former production building was converted into an office building earlier. So far, the owner Hiag has advertised the office space contiguously. Now she wants to liven up the rooms with a new idea: The Forest Tower is to become a creative hotspot. In order to realize the project, Hiag is looking for creative minds – companies, private individuals, freelancers and self-employed – who want to settle in the Forest Tower. As soon as two or three interested parties agree, the owner wants to start renovating the first floor.

    For teams that need their own office, office space of various sizes and with plenty of daylight should be created. A shared studio should provide space for creative work, for example with a work area in the middle of the room and with additional workplaces on the walls. A co-working space is also being planned.

    A common meeting room should be created for meetings, customer presentations or workshops. The Community Area, a communal area with a coffee kitchen and lounge, is to serve as a meeting point. The Ideation Salon, a room with a large screen, whiteboard and moderation material, is intended to provide a creative environment for workshops and networking. Company aperitifs with a view of the Klingnau reservoir could soon take place on the roof of the building. The fast internet, a professional printer and the common rooms should be available to the entire Forest Tower community.

    Kleindöttingen is part of the so-called Zurzibiet, an economic region that is also gaining in importance on a supraregional level. It comprises 26 communities between Baden and Brugg. The area is characterized, among other things, by its convenient location and moderate cost structure. The proximity to research and innovation centers makes it particularly attractive for qualified specialists and companies.

  • The ground floor is used correctly

    The ground floor is used correctly

    Ground floor locations in major Swiss cities and medium-sized centers, but also in smaller communities, are increasingly leading a bleak existence – at least away from the coveted prime locations. According to real estate market experts, there has been a clear functional change in this type of land use not just since the Covid 19 pandemic. Where there used to be a restaurant, a café or a hairdresser, a butcher or an owner-managed fashion store, today there is a yawning emptiness in many places.

    In the focus of science
    Nicole Hartmann, research assistant at the Institute for Interior Design (IIA) at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), is currently working on the possibilities of converting this very special type of building space. With her colleagues Markus Gmünder, Christoph Hanisch and Katharina Kleczka, she is currently looking at the “question of the conversion of the ground floor from the inside out” in her “PARTERRE” project. Hartmann says: "Ground floor zones are an important part of buildings, but also of the cityscape." However, restructuring processes in the industry and the growth of online trading have recently brought about a change in the function of the ground floor locations. Social and cultural shifts in values as well as legal framework conditions also played a role in the subject, according to Hartmann. The project team collected very specific practical examples in the Portuguese city of Porto, where, thanks to new ideas and innovations, city quarters could be revitalized with SMEs and start-ups. Or recently in the city of Lucerne, where currently pronounced vacancies and unused business and retail space are visible and omnipresent due to the lack of international tourists.

    One solution: pop-up shops
    The company founding pop-up shops by founder and managing director Chalid A. El Ashker is committed to precisely such vacancies. With his “online marketplace” he has free space in Baden, Brugg and Dietikon on offer. The internet platform of the start-up based in Zollikon brings providers of free retail and promotional space together with those interested in renting space for a limited period of time. Even the rental agreement and rent payments are processed online in pop-up shops. Target groups are landlords with vacant space on the one hand and new innovative brands, companies, designers or artists on the other hand who need space to display their products. “Regardless of the type of space – we optimize the letting process,” says El Ashker, whose business idea does not stop at the Swiss borders. He also lists international business spaces, for example in Germany, the UK or the USA, many of them on the ground floor of a building. For the start-up founder, his platform has several advantages: "We increase the availability of retail space and promote the local economy by supporting new, emerging and established companies." In Switzerland, pop-up shops are already working with customers such as SBB, Swiss Post, Migros, SPG Intercity and Wincasa.

    Flexible office space close to where you live
    But retail solutions are not the only option for vacant commercial space on the ground floor of Swiss municipalities and cities. This type of commercial space can, for example, be converted into office space depending on the requirements of the administration and depending on the definition of the urban zone. The Village Office company offers one of the new German “coworking space” concepts. It is aiming to create several hundred flexibly rentable coworking spaces throughout Switzerland. There are currently more than 80 federal “coworking spaces” from Village Office in the country – for example in Aarau, Bottighofen, Frauenfeld, Lucerne or in Laax, Nyon and Davos.

    Conceived and founded as a cooperative, it wants to promote new forms of work and build up a whole network of “coworking spaces”. "In doing so, we are also creating bridges between communities, companies, property owners and coworkers," says Jenny Schäpper-Uster, who co-founded the new branch association Coworking Switzerland in 2015 and 2016 and village offices on the other. “Our vision is that by 2030 every person in Switzerland will reach the next 'coworking space' within 15 minutes. In this way, we relieve the traffic infrastructure, increase local added value and improve the quality of life with shorter commutes. "

    «Revitalizing inner cities»
    Interior designer Nicole Hartmann from HSLU brings into play another option for converting vacant ground floor areas in inner-city areas: living space. "Depending on the existing floor plans, room heights, window fronts and surface types, the focus should be on an actual revitalization of the inner cities," she said. This could then also mean making old towns attractive, liveable and worth living in again for new residents. In many places in Switzerland, people have been displaced in peripheral zones or in agglomerations because contemporary and modern floor plans may have been created in new neighborhoods. "A discussion about new mixed uses and the redefinition of public zones could initiate a new trend and revitalize many city centers and inner cities," Hartmann is convinced.

    This is exactly what the current “PARTERRE” project aims to investigate. It is also about the question of how a change of use affects the quality of life and amenity of the city dwellers and how the interfaces between public city life and private living can be designed. "The project takes into account the entire structure of effects with the interests of the various actors and develops a sustainable and future-oriented conversion strategy for vacant ground floors," says Hartmann. We can already look forward to your project results.

    The city of Baden – a positive example
    Baden, the third largest municipality in the canton of Aargau with over 19,000 inhabitants, is one of the top 5 of Switzerland's 110 economic regions. Around 2500 companies are based here, including many international companies. Thanks to the connection to the local and long-distance transport networks and the distance of only around 20 kilometers to Zurich, the canton capital Aarau and the city of Waldshut-Tiengen in Germany, it is a regional economic center and also a popular place to live.

    So it is not surprising that location promoter Thomas Lütolf can report a very low vacancy rate in the inner-city retail space: "Of 220 spaces, only three are currently empty." This means that the vacancy rate on the city's ground floor is lower than it has been in six years – despite the ongoing corona pandemic. A trend that he sees in the retail space is the increased use by gastronomy and food concepts. The retail stores also showed new concepts and tried-and-tested products: for example, Ohne.ch on Stadtturmstrasse 15 offers fair and sustainable food unpackaged. In addition, the Sprüngli confectionery chain, which is well-known and popular across national borders, was able to move into the Baden train station.

    And when it comes to pop-up stores, too, Lütolf sees more opportunities than risks: "Pop-up shops are not unknown in Baden." In his opinion, this trend will hold up in the long term and whether the active art and cultural scene in the city will be able to quickly and easily use the areas that have become free. Only when it comes to rent levels does it show a slight downward trend. "But that in turn makes it interesting for other groups of providers in this usage segment," says Lütolf. (mr).

  • Küttigen: Former tree nursery as a residential area

    Küttigen: Former tree nursery as a residential area

    The "Baumgarten" is being built in a sunny south-west location with a view of the Aare and Central Switzerland. 143 rental and owner-occupied apartments as well as 20 terraced houses are planned.

    The development consists of three building areas with different living space concepts. Ffkb Architects, Zurich, designed the row houses in the lower part of the residential area. The bark-brown houses in the central area of the building were designed by ERP Architects in Baden. And Frei Architekten, Aarau, is responsible for the red-red houses in the northern part.

    Thanks to their clever geometry, the multi-family houses should fit into the park-like landscape. Large gaps between the structures should allow maximum views and sun exposure for the individual apartments.

    The houses will be built in hybrid construction with load-bearing interior walls and non-load-bearing facade elements. Wood is used as a common denominator for the exterior walls of all house types. On the one hand, because the client works in the timber construction industry. On the other hand, in order to pay tribute to the character of the former tree nursery area and to pick up on its history.

    The planning of the surroundings should also combine the various construction areas into a large whole. Hager Partner, Zurich, also takes up the themes of the former tree nursery. Part of the tree population will be preserved.

    Markstein was entrusted with the building trust mandate and the marketing of the new building project by the client Rombach Immobilien. The real estate service provider will accompany it until it goes into operation at the beginning of 2023 and has already started the market launch of the property.

    The building permit was in place at the end of January 2021, and construction work began in mid-March 2021.

  • Lighthouse project in the canton of Aargau

    Lighthouse project in the canton of Aargau

    Switzerland is at the forefront of the most innovative countries in the world: "We are building a high-tech ecosystem here, based on the research focus of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)," Benno Rechsteiner, CEO of Innovaare AG told Immo! Nvest. “With its top-class large research facilities, PSI is the largest research institute in Switzerland. In order to promote exchange with industry, several departments are moving into the innovation campus, which is connected to the PSI site by an underpass. This gives you direct access to the particle accelerator opposite. " Park Innovaare already houses 17 high-tech companies in existing buildings. These companies originate from research at the Paul Scherrer Institute, ETH, EPFL and CERN. "For us, a mix of research departments, large industrial companies, development-oriented SMEs and high-tech start-ups is ideal."

    Greatest possible flexibility
    In order to meet the demands of a modern innovation campus in the long term, the property must be built as flexibly as possible so that later adjustments are possible: to enter into settling companies ». says Rechsteiner, who sees the Innovaare Park as a lighthouse project in the canton of Aargau.

    Renewable energy sources
    Around 95 percent of the heat requirements of Park Innovaare are covered by waste heat from cooling and around five percent by PSI's district heating network. Highly efficient HFO machines, which draw their energy from the Aare, are used to efficiently generate the cooling energy. From this point of view, the energy requirements of the 38,000 m2 innovation campus for heating and cooling are largely met from renewable sources.

  • A glass tower for bathing

    A glass tower for bathing

    Fritz Merker from Merker Liegenschaften AG is enthusiastic about Angela Deuber's work: “What fascinates me most is the light, airy appearance of the building,” he says. “The niches created by the re-entrant facades, together with the vertical structure from the cantilevered balcony layer, create an overall composition that blends in well with the small-scale surroundings. At the same time, the construction method enables maximum flexibility in terms of apartment sizes and floor plans. " Most of all, Merker is looking forward to the possibility of being able to offer both urban living and commercial space in this central location. Merker Liegenschaften AG is currently in the middle of the process of adapting the special usage plan. One of these has existed for this area since 2003, albeit for an eight-story office building. "With the construction of apartments we want to make a contribution to the mix of living and working in the middle of the up-and-coming district of Baden Nord." The property has been owned by Merker Liegenschaften AG for 20 years. The long wait was definitely worth it: "We can serve the city and the population better with an offer of living space than with even more office space."

    Hybrid use
    Angela Deuber's project emerged as the winner of the competition, not least because it fits perfectly into the existing building fabric of the city of Baden. At the same time, it creates a reference to the existing and planned high-rise buildings in the area. And how is the use of the new Merker Tower planned today? “A mixed use of rental and owner-occupied apartments is planned. The lower floors are designed as a so-called hybrid, which means that they can be used either for residential purposes or as service or commercial space. Public use is planned for the over-high ground floor. Speaking of the energy budget: it is very likely that the high-rise will be connected to the city's district heating network, which is currently being expanded and upgraded to include renewable energies.

    Chur architect Angela Deuber in her element.
  • Better late than never

    Better late than never

    Actually, Brown-Boveri-Platz should have been rebuilt now and opened in summer 2022. But private construction work on the multi-storey car park led to delays: “The reasons are the later start of construction of the multi-storey car park and extensive relocation of the works”, René Zolliker from Baden's construction planning department told Immo! Nvest. Construction is now scheduled to start in summer 2023. About a year later, in autumn 2024, Brown-Boveri-Platz is to be opened. The redesigned square fulfills two basic functions: Firstly, the square is a place of passage and residence for passers-by, employees, customers and residents for around 300 days a year. Second, public events take place on the square for around 50 days. «The present project meets both requirements. The two-row wreath of trees creates the atmosphere that should characterize the new town square, and the inner open space of 40 x 50 m creates the necessary space for events with up to 2000 people, ”says Zolliker. Basically, the place is free from motorized traffic. Exceptions are the deliveries of goods for the ABB shipping company and the transformer center as well as the journeys of emergency vehicles by the rescue services.

    Use with benchmarks
    But how do you skillfully revitalize a space above a garage these days? The basic paper on the use of space with several benchmarks was already drawn up for the competition in a broad-based process: During the day, access to industry, trade, education, culture and leisure activities should be guaranteed. In the afternoon, the square will serve as a forecourt to the transformer halls, cinemas and the hotel, as well as an outdoor space for the congress center. In the project team led by the planning and construction department, in addition to the commissioned planner, the municipal departments civil engineering, works yard, urban ecology, location marketing, development planning, culture and the city police were represented. ABB Immobilien AG, Regionalwerke AG Baden and the planning team Hochhaus Ost / Parkhaus Brown-Boveri-Platz were also involved in the planning process. The biggest hurdle was the building credit approval by the residents' council. But now it should finally start.