immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Zurich

  • JED gets neon and icons

    JED gets neon and icons

    The JED in Schlieren is to be supplemented by art in architecture, informs a corresponding report on the website of the center in Schlieren. Art in architecture creates identity and meaning and shows the way, it says at the beginning. The owner Swiss Prime Site hired the artists Roland Ammann and Gregory Gilbert-Lodge to realize the works of art in JED.

    Glassblower Roland Amman comes from Neonhaus Ammann and has dedicated himself to the creation of three-dimensional works of art from neon after the lighting industry switched from neon to LED. For the JED he will create three oversized letters, a J, an E and a D. Amman has already installed the first work of art on the ceiling of the Jake barista bar. At first glance, the object, which looks like a fragile shining ball, turns out to be a J on closer inspection, says the report. “I like it when my art has several levels and the hidden only becomes recognizable at a second or third glance,” artist Ammann is quoted there.

    On the wall of the barista bar, visitors can already see the first work of art by Gregory Gilbert-Lodge in the JED. The independent illustrator has provided the bar with an oversized portrait of its namesake Jake in green. Jake is supposed to represent building J and give the bar “a face”, it says in the report.

    Gilbert-Lodge designed portraits of Eve and Didi for buildings E and D. “The fictional characters in the JED should act as icons,” explains the artist in the report. The values and ideas embodied by them, "even an attitude towards life", are what the icons give to the individual buildings, says Gilbert-Lodge.

  • Limmatstadt welcomes Integral as a new shareholder

    The location promotion organization Limmatstadt AG has got a new shareholder in Schlieremer Integral design-build AG. According to managing director Jasmina Ritz, the Limmatstadt now has a total of 170 shareholders and twelve network partners.

    According to a press release, Integral design-build AG has specialized in the area of new working environments. However, the Schlierem-based company also offers overall services for interior design in general. This ranges from workplace management and design to turnkey handover. Integral takes over all phases of development, planning and implementation of working environments, it says there. With the maximum use of digital processes and 3D tools, the new working worlds would be visualized and a smooth planning and construction process would be ensured.

    Last year, Integral implemented the new work environment for Halter AG and its sister companies in JED Schlieren .

    The company was founded in 2016 as W21 Innenausbau AG by Peter Pfiffner – owner of Pfiffner AG in Altstetten – and Michael Peter. Today, Integral, as a sister company of Halter AG, has twelve employees in the areas of architecture, design and execution. The company is currently overseeing 30 ongoing projects across Switzerland.

  • ETH Zurich helps with the construction of the Zug wooden high-rise

    ETH Zurich helps with the construction of the Zug wooden high-rise

    A ten-story office building with wooden components is to be built on the Suurstoffi site in Risch Rotkreuz. With a height of 80 meters, it will be one of the tallest wooden houses ever, as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) writes in an article. A lot of basic research is also required for the construction. Due to fire protection, this type of construction has only been allowed in Switzerland since 2015.

    According to the article, basic research for the new building is being carried out in the ETH building hall on the Hönggerberg. There, for example, it is simulated how the timber structure would behave in strong winds. Computer models are not always sufficient for such simulations. This is why experiments are carried out in the ETH building hall. "For us, testing something usually means loading it until it is destroyed," explains Dominik Werne, head of the construction hall, in the article. In the case of innovations in particular, computer models have to be validated through tests, adds Andrea Frangi, Professor of Timber Construction at the Institute for Structural Analysis at ETH.

    Tests on the structure of the Zug high-rise are currently being carried out in the building hall. This is planned by the Zurich engineering firm WaltGalmarini and built by the general contractor Implenia . After the tests at the ETH, the researchers decide together with engineers from WaltGalmarini which systems Implenia should use during construction.

  • Steiner plans a new residential complex in Winterthur

    Steiner plans a new residential complex in Winterthur

    The real estate developer Steiner AG is planning to build a new residential complex in Winterthur, according to a media release . It is to be built on the KIM site at Winterthur Neuhegi train station. The so-called Haus Weiler is to be built on a plot of 3328 square meters and comprises 80 condominiums. Twelve of these will be built as studio apartments on the ground floor with private garden terraces. A further twelve are being built as attic apartments with private roof terraces.

    The design plan for the KIM area already became legally effective in September 2013. The newly emerging quarter combines living and working. It includes green areas, playgrounds and car-free zones. Grocery stores, cafes and restaurants are within walking distance. In addition, Zurich Airport can be reached in 25 minutes by car or train.

    According to the announcement, the building application was submitted to the city of Winterthur on March 25th. Steiner AG expects construction work to start in summer 2022. Completion is planned for spring 2025.

  • Dietikons Bahnhofsplatz is being redesigned with the SBB

    Dietikons Bahnhofsplatz is being redesigned with the SBB

    The planned competition program for the redesign of the Dietikon station area can now be started. The Dietiker city council has approved a loan of 56,000 francs for the preparation of the "Bushof / Bahnhofplatz competition program" and the necessary clarifications, according to a message from the city chancellery. The contract for procedural support had been awarded to the Zurich consulting firm Eckhaus AG. In addition to upgrading the public space with quality of stay and a wheelchair accessible hub for public transport, an attractive location for living and working is to be created on the SBB site, according to the city of Dietikon about the project .

    The city of Dietikon and the SBB jointly awarded an urban planning study contract for the Dietikon station area in 2019. The "in-depth study of the Dietikon station area" was exhibited in plans and models in November and December 2020 on the window front of the Dietikon town hall. The results report was also available on the Internet.

    According to the plans of the city of Dietikon, the bus station is to be redesigned around two islands. This creates a largely traffic-calmed space in front of the train station, which is to be landscaped and planted with trees to create a lingering zone. According to the announcement, the SBB wants to develop a lively district from its parcels west of the track field. The station building is to be extended. Two construction sites for an office building and a complex with 200 apartments are planned on the parking lot.

  • Hächler rebuilds Spreitenbacher Waldhütte

    Hächler rebuilds Spreitenbacher Waldhütte

    Hächler AG from Wettingen has rebuilt the forest hut belonging to the municipality of Spreitenbach, which had become dilapidated due to subsidence. From spring onwards, the forest hut will again be available to citizens for festive occasions with 40 seats, according to the press release . There is a new hall with a fitted kitchen and an open fireplace both inside and outside.

    The new building in the middle of the forest on Heitersberg became necessary because of subsidence. The forest hut was built in 1968 and renovated in 1990. According to the Hächler Group, the municipality of Spreitenbach decided to rebuild the popular forest hut due to the subsidence of the ground by around 20 centimeters. In May 2020, the timber construction department at Hächler AG was awarded the contract to build the new forest hut.

    According to a report submitted by Günter Ebner, Head of Timber Construction at Hächler, the replacement building in timber element construction in the Neuenhof workshop was prefabricated in the same dimensions as the old hut. The finished wall elements with built-in electrical preparation and cutting of the roof components were produced in just three weeks. The shell assembly in the forest on the Heitersberg was carried out with millimeter precision using the company's own truck crane. The inner wall surfaces made of multi-layer panels in spruce and fir were protected from moisture during assembly. According to the Hächler report, only ecological and sustainable building materials were used.

    The materials are technically state-of-the-art and enable a comfortable room climate as well as heat, cold and noise protection. The combination of vapor-permeable and multi-layer materials with good soundproofing properties would have made this concept of the forest hut a really great project, construction manager Ebner is quoted as saying.

    21 cubic meters of domestic spruce wood, 45 cubic meters of mineral insulation and 450 square meters of multilayer wood panels were used for the supporting structure.

  • Porsche supports start-ups in Zurich

    Porsche supports start-ups in Zurich

    Porsche supports innovative start- ups through its Forward31 program. Now the German carmaker has also included the Zurich start-up The Embassies in this program, according to a media release .

    The Embassies is developing a new solution for living in old age. This consists of a digital platform and habitable rooms. The company wants to build a network with around 30 locations worldwide. She wants to focus on big cities like Zurich, London, New York or Berlin. The first location is scheduled to open in Europe in 2022.

    At the locations – so-called embassies – of The Embassies, residents and visitors should have publicly accessible catering and leisure facilities available. The goal is to encourage social interaction. Traveling by older people is also supported. This also gives residents and members access to other The Embassies locations around the world.

    "We created our offer for people who want to lead a self-determined, fulfilled and healthy life for as long as possible," says Jan Garde, founder of The Embassies, in the press release.

    Forward31 will now continue to develop the business model together with the founding team of The Embassies and support the company as a strategic partner in the future.

  • Timber Corporation is the guardian of our forest

    Timber Corporation is the guardian of our forest

    The Schlieren wood corporation and the forest ranger Limmattal Süd have their diverse tasks under control despite the many challenges. They are pleased that this year, with the new cloakroom in the Zelgli, a building will be built by the city of Schlieren with local wood and that other buildings (after-school care center, new retirement center) will be tendered or planned in wood. This role model function of the city of Schlieren was also carried over to private real estate investors. The “Kesslerplath” project of the Migros Pension Fund is also to be realized in wood.

    Around 100 cubic meters of spruce wood from the Schlierem Forest will be used for the new cloakroom building at the Rohr sports field. Financially this is not a big deal for the Schlieren wood corporation, but President Fredy Füllemann is very pleased that the city of Schlieren not only sets an example for building with local wood with this decision, but also appreciates the work of the wood corporation.

    The Schlieren wood corporation was founded as a private corporation in 1851 and manages a total of around 180 hectares of forest. A milestone in the history of the Schlieren wood corporation was the great amalgamation of forests in 1984. This resulted in large and much easier-to-manage parcels. The city of Schlieren also contributed its forest and has since then been a member with partial rights, like all other private forest owners. Almost without exception, these are long-established Schlierem families.

    The prices for domestic wood are poor. These prices have been falling for a long time and the storm Lothar in 1999 intensified this trend. So there is hardly any more money to be made with the forest and the timber corporations are happy when they can cover the costs of care and maintenance with the proceeds. A further complicating factor is that significantly cheaper wood is delivered to Switzerland from abroad.

    The forest belongs to private individuals, but can be used by the public. Very few people know that the forest owners are responsible for a great deal of work in the forest, including the maintenance of the forest paths, which are highly valued by the population, and that they also have to bear the costs.

    In some Swiss cantons, wood corporations are supported in this area, but unfortunately this has hardly been the case in Zurich so far. "As the price of wood continues to fall, it is becoming more and more difficult for forest owners to cope with the financial burdens," emphasizes Roland Helfenberger and Fredy Füllemann adds: "We will probably have to make ourselves heard more in the canton in the future."

    In our time, the forest has to struggle with various influences. In particular, global warming is causing him a lot of trouble, some tree species will probably disappear in our forests in the long term. While spruce, fir and beech trees suffer from the higher temperatures, oaks, Douglas firs and nut trees have significantly fewer problems.

    It is typical of forest management that everything has to be considered over long periods of time, or – as Revierforster Helfenberger aptly puts it: "We benefit from the work of our ancestors and work for future generations." As the district forester Limmattal Süd, Helfenberger from Aesch has also been responsible for the care and management of the Schlierem forest since 2013. He and his team are faced with great challenges in a variety of ways. The heavy snowfalls in the past few months have caused a lot of extra work and the clean-up work is far from over.

    Ecologically and economically
    This is not the first time that the city is building Schlieren with wood. The multi-part factory building in the city on Bernstrasse was made of wood and even made it into the 20 best best practice examples in Switzerland. The double after-school care center at Schulstrasse 12 was also made entirely of wood in 2007. More wooden structures are to follow. The Migros Pension Fund MPK is currently examining the procurement of wood for the new Kesslerplatz building from the Schlieremer Wald, or from the Limmattal-Süd forest district. Spruce and fir trees are available for the harvest season. At best, the MPK plans to source the wood for the ceilings and facades from the region. The latest study by Wüest Partner AG shows that wooden buildings are not only ecologically convincing, but also keep up economically.

  • Canton approves Rai design plan in Bergdietikon

    Canton approves Rai design plan in Bergdietikon

    The design plan submitted by the municipal council for the Rai area in Bergdietikon has been approved by the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment of the Canton of Aargau. This is announced by the municipal council in a message. It contains a look back at the 40-year history of the land of Rai. It began by buying four parcels of land in the Rai area between 1980 and 1990 so as not to leave the potential building land to speculators.

    After the canton's approval, the next step will be to implement the construction project. According to the communal council, the first step is to take measures to stabilize the hillside area. Implenia Immobilien AG has to submit a planning application for the planned work to the municipality of Bergdietikon. The concept developed by Heinrich Jäckli AG and Basler & Hofmann AG suggests slowing down the slope movements by means of deep drainage ditches arranged in the direction in which the slope falls. For the future development and development of the Rai area, subsoil investigations and movement measurements were carried out between 1991 and 2005. It follows from them that the slope movements can be reduced to such an extent that development and development are possible.

    In the years since the municipality acquired the Rai area, the topic of use has repeatedly dominated the political debate, writes municipality clerk Patrick Geissmann in the report on the Rai area. Pius Achermann, mayor from 1994 to 2005, has their say. He is quoted as saying: “The importance of the Rai area achieved a high priority during my tenure. Hardly a council meeting went by without addressing the subject of Rai. Rai became a constant topic. "

    For Paul Meier, mayor from 2006 to 2009, the state of Rai was “a stimulating word during my 16 years on the parish council.” And Gerhart Isler, mayor from 2010 to 2017, is quoted as saying that the subject involved the involvement of Implenia Development AG and specific planning work has been objectified. Ralf Dörig, mayor since 2018, is quoted as saying: "I am of course very pleased that the 40-year history of the country 'Rai' can now be concluded with a legally binding design plan." Solutions have been worked out, but there have also been setbacks. The entire planning has now been successfully completed.

  • City of Zurich gives its own tenants a subscription for Mobility

    City of Zurich gives its own tenants a subscription for Mobility

    The city of Zurich wants to promote environmentally friendly mobility. To this end, it is now providing the tenants of their apartments with an annual subscription to the Mobility auto parts service free of charge, the city and Mobility write in a joint message . Anyone who lives in one of the 9,200 city apartments and has a category B ticket has been able to take advantage of such an annual subscription since March. Users then only have to pay for the duration or range of use of the Mobility vehicles.

    The city pays Mobility a flat rate of CHF 12,000 for this. The issue has no impact on rents or taxpayers, she writes in her communication.

  • Implenia sees itself in a good position

    Implenia sees itself in a good position

    According to a message from Implenia , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon generated sales totaling CHF 2.99 billion in 2020. In the previous year, sales of 4.43 billion Swiss francs were posted. The operating result at EBIT level fell year-on-year from CHF 63.5 million to CHF -146.8 million. A loss of 132.1 million francs was reported as the consolidated result; in 2019, a profit of 33.9 million francs had been realized.

    The order backlog remained at a high level at CHF 6.39 billion and is also well distributed across business areas and markets, Implenia writes in the press release. More than 80 percent of the sales targeted for the current year are already secured. In the current year, the company intends to be back in the black.

    The return to the profit zone should be achieved through restructuring in the portfolio and measures for profitable growth. Implenia writes that the company has already started to reduce business areas that are not part of its core business or that are unprofitable. For profitable growth, "an effective management of opportunities and risks was introduced".

    Implenia wants to report an EBIT of at least 100 million francs in the current year. At the corresponding rate, the target is 2.8 percent. In the medium term, an EBIT margin of 4.5 percent should be achieved.

  • Plazza defies the pandemic

    Plazza defies the pandemic

    Plazza AG achieved a very positive result in 2020 and exceeded its own expectations, writes the Zurich real estate company in a press release . Specifically, the company, which has been listed on the SIX since 2015, was able to increase its property income from CHF 24.3 million in the previous year to CHF 24.6 million in the year under review. At the same time, the operating result before depreciation and revaluation increased from 18.9 million to 20.0 million francs.

    The profit was 63.3 million francs, compared to 36.7 million francs in the previous year. The increase is primarily due to success in revaluations, explains Plazza in the press release. Without taking them into account, the profit remained unchanged from 2019 at 17.0 million francs.

    Plazza cites the high proportion of residential properties in its own portfolio as the background for the good developments. It was unchanged at 73 percent in the year under review and will continue to rise this year through the purchase of 80 apartments in the Tiergarten estate in Zurich's Friesenberg district, the statement said. According to her, none of the apartments managed by Plazza had been vacant by the end of 2020. Overall, the real estate company was able to reduce its vacancy rate year-on-year from 4.0 to 3.7 percent. The company writes that it mainly affects free commercial space.

    For the current year, Plazza is aiming for an operating result before depreciation and revaluation "at least in the order of 2020". Subject to the building permit expected in the first half of the year, the first stage of the development project in Crissier VD is to be tackled. The construction of a nursing home for a foundation and a primary school for the community of Crissier were agreed in the reporting year.

  • Canton sets design plan for ZHAW campus

    Canton sets design plan for ZHAW campus

    The Technikumstrasse campus of the ZHAW in Winterthur will be comprehensively renewed within 15 years, explains the building department of the Canton of Zurich in a message . New buildings and more open space are to be created in four stages. At the same time, the Eulach will be renatured in the area of the technical center. In the first phase, two new laboratory buildings are to be built and a public park is to be set up on the Eulach.

    The corresponding design plan was published from April 6 to June 8, 2020. 31 objections were received against him, mainly in questions of urban integration, the scope, development and nature conservation, informs the building management. Another 18 objections related to the renaturation of the Eulach and the definition of the water area.

    The design plan and the water area have been revised based on the objections and have now been set, the message continues. Both documents and the reports on the objections have been publicly available for 30 days since February 26 and can be viewed on the Internet . If no legal remedies are taken, they will come into force at the end of March this year. Then the city of Winterthur could issue the building permit for the first stage.

  • Schlieren drives the upgrading of Kesslerplatz

    Schlieren drives the upgrading of Kesslerplatz

    The Migros Pension Fund's investment foundation has presented a design plan for Kesslerplatz. After the transfer of the private design plan from the local council to the local parliament, "the city of Schlieren will soon come a big step closer to its goal," as a media release said.

    As part of the planned upgrading of the square, the high-rise is to be preserved. The design plan also provides for four new structures. One of them is intended for commercial use, the other three are intended to provide living space. A total of 103 new apartments, a double kindergarten and a multi-purpose room are to be created as a result. For the realization of the kindergarten, the city of Schlieren has agreed with the investment foundation of the Migros pension fund both an exchange of land and compensation of CHF 2.11 million.

    Work is scheduled to begin in spring or summer 2022, and move-in is to take place from spring / summer 2024. Since the double kindergarten will not be available until a year later, “the Migros Pension Fund's investment foundation will cover 50 percent of the rental costs for a temporary arrangement, the remaining rental costs are also included in the compensation”, according to the city of Schlieren.

    With the upgrading of Kesslerplatz, a “high-quality and attractive entrance gate” to Schlieren should be created, which will also be optimally connected to the Limmattalbahn.

  • Innovation Park Zurich has billions of potential

    Innovation Park Zurich has billions of potential

    The Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich foundation commissioned the economic research institute BAK Economics to carry out a scientific study on the economic significance of the Zurich Innovation Park (IPZ ). The study comes to the conclusion that the direct and indirect added value of the IPS could add up to around 2.7 billion francs per year if fully expanded. With a share of 90 percent of the total value added, the canton of Zurich would benefit particularly strongly.

    The extensive study is divided into seven sections, ranging from the motivation for the analysis, the importance of innovation for the economy and society, the position of the Canton of Zurich in the innovation competition, to a detailed evaluation of the role that the Innovation Park Zurich plays in promoting growth and Prosperity could play rich. The study confirms that the canton of Zurich is underrepresented in industry, particularly in the high-tech sectors. According to the study authors, the IPZ could make a decisive contribution to upgrading the canton as an innovation location.

    According to the authors, the IPZ could form the “risk area” necessary for transformation innovations in addition to the corresponding risk capital. The park should position itself as a "link between universities, research institutes, the start-up scene and research-based industry", according to the study. Structures created there could enable “global players” to settle in innovative areas such as “mobility, space travel, aviation, robotics, greentech or new materials”.

    The Zurich Chamber of Commerce ( ZHK ) sees the results of the study as confirmation of their longstanding support for the innovation park. They show how important this is for the business and research location, she writes in a statement on the study. The ZHK hopes that the added value of the innovation park will lead to an acceleration of the ongoing procedures.

  • Zürcher Weinland supports first project

    Zürcher Weinland supports first project

    ProWeinland has, according to a media release with AgroCO2ncept selected the first project, with funds from the New Regional Policy ( NRP is supported). AgroCO2ncept is an association of farmers founded in 2012. They had set themselves the goal of reducing their operations' greenhouse gas emissions and spending by 20 percent. This resource project will run until 2022.

    The second goal is now being tackled: the added value is to be increased by 20 percent through the transfer of knowledge and the sale of climate-friendly regional products. To this end, the association has initiated a marketing project that can now be funded. In addition, the association members want to pass on their knowledge to other producers inside and outside the Zurich wine region and thus promote climate-friendly agriculture.

    The Zurich Weinland region has been part of the New Regional Policy of the Canton of Zurich since 2020. The ProWeinland association was entrusted by the canton as the regional project sponsor of the program. Pro Weinland is “very pleased to be able to support and accompany such a promising project in the initial phase of the funding program”.

  • Made in Zurich breaks the lance for urban production

    Made in Zurich breaks the lance for urban production

    Made in Zurich wants to unite “urban productivists” of all kinds, explains the initiative founded in 2018 in its self-portrayal . Even when it was founded, the Made in Zurich initiative set out to investigate questions about production in the city, writes the initiative in a recent press release . For this purpose, Made in Zurich created the study “ Locations for urban production and retail – SUPR ”.

    The study examines historical developments and current trends and uses them to develop proposals for urban production. In addition, the analysts sound out the framework conditions for urban production in Zurich. Among other things, they investigate the question of what urban producers need and which urban areas are suitable for urban production.

    The guidelines are intended to provide “instructions for action and food for thought”, writes the Made in Zurich initiative in the communication. The addressees named there are “the public sector, developers and, last but not least, the producers themselves”.

    In the fifth chapter of the study, the authors deal with particularly important aspects of urban production. The entire final chapter of the study is devoted to recommendations for action for the implementation of locations for urban production and retail.

  • Sevensense co-founder praises Switzerland as a location for robotics

    Sevensense co-founder praises Switzerland as a location for robotics

    Roland Siegwart is Professor of Autonomous Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ). He is also co-director of the Wyss Zurich funding program. In 2018 Siegwart co-founded the ETH spin-off Sevensense Robotics. The company, based in Zurich, develops technologies for robots that help them, for example, with independent orientation. Sevensense also works with Deutsche Bahn to develop technologies for the future of train travel.

    In an interview published on the Sevensense blog page, Siegwart praised Switzerland as a location for robotics. All important specialist knowledge for robotics is available in the country. On the one hand, precision mechanics, which have a "long tradition in Switzerland", are particularly important. On the other hand, sensor technology plays an important role in the industry. This is less known worldwide, but Switzerland is already very advanced in this regard.

    Siegwart also praises the ETH Zurich and the ETH Lausanne (EPFL). The two universities would provide the necessary control and intelligence to be able to make good use of the existing specialist knowledge, he emphasizes. They would also spawn a multitude of successful spin-offs – especially in the robotics area. Switzerland has also been able to attract a large pool of foreign talent who further strengthen the robotics scene.

    Switzerland still has some catching up to do when it comes to major investments. Investors in Europe are generally more risk averse compared to those in the USA. However, this also helps European start-ups develop a sustainable, customer-oriented approach. Accordingly, the survival rate of start-ups – for example in Switzerland – is much higher than that of those in the USA. The long-term survival rate of the ETH spin-offs is 80 to 90 percent.

  • Dietikon relies on location advertising with comedian duo Lapsus

    Dietikon relies on location advertising with comedian duo Lapsus

    The city of Dietikon relies on humor in its location advertising. According to a media release, the well-known Dietiker comedian duo Lapsus has therefore received the order to subject their residential area to a critical examination and to record their impressions. It is said that funny, self-deprecating video productions were created.

    The videos can now be viewed on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. The first is entitled “Dietikon from its most beautiful side”. Dietikon is presented as a noisy and urban city with idyllic green areas as the train passes by. The second video introduces the open-air gallery “DietikON – experience light art”, which will run until the end of February, with humorous puns. Further topics are planned.

    The core of the campaign, which will last in May, is self-irony, according to the media release. The plan is to publish six to seven videos, which will make the qualities and location advantages of the city visible and promote the city's positioning as a center for business, culture, education, local recreation, sport and leisure.

    It is emphasized that the topics have been discussed with the city. The comedians are free to implement it.

  • Zurich and Singapore are exploring big cities

    Zurich and Singapore are exploring big cities

    The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) and three Singapore-based universities – the National University of Singapore , the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design – want to jointly research how the global growth of cities can be made more sustainable. To this end, according to a press release on December 1, they launched the Future Cities Lab Global research program. It is an extension of the Future Cities Laboratory of the Singapore-ETH Center , which was successfully completed after ten years.

    This program deals with the major global challenges of increasing urbanization caused by the expansion of existing cities and the emergence of new ones. This against the background that, according to the United Nations, two thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2050.

    “The ecological and economic advantages of densely populated cities that do not take up much space are being wiped out by the urban sprawl in the hinterland,” explains Professor Stephen Cairns, co-director of the research program and ETH architecture professor in Singapore. "The extent to which we can curb climate change in the next hundred years depends on how well these contrasting city forms are planned."

    Numerous projects are being planned, according to ETH Zurich. Those that have already started dealt with compacted green buildings and quarters, the materials for them and new technologies for the recycling of building materials. In addition, solutions for polluted and flood-prone cities and surrounding regions are sought. Possibilities for sustainable food production in cities and their surrounding areas are also being explored.

  • Zurich Airport welcomes new tenants

    Zurich Airport welcomes new tenants

    AMAG , Bruno Wickart , RehaClinic , cermony Swiss and Vebego have signed rental contracts for sales, event, therapy and office space in The Circle , according to a statement from Flughafen Zürich AG . In addition to shops and service providers, The Circle also houses restaurants and a Hyatt Regency Hotel.

    The car dealer AMAG is now also setting up a center for new mobility in The Circle. The furniture store Bruno Wickart will present offers for work and living in a new exhibition area. The RehaClinic will move its RehaCenter from the airport to The Circle in mid-2021. The real estate service provider Vebego is creating a location for its international activities in The Circle. And cermony is opening its Bliss Center for massages and other health-promoting services in spring.

  • Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna is being renewed

    Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna is being renewed

    The Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna in Lucerne will start renovating its infrastructure in March. This emerges from a message from the clinic on LinkedIn. Initially, work is being carried out on an extension (wing G), which will be located in the area of today's inner courtyard between the car park and the clinic. Among other things, the Institute for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine will be located there.

    From 2023, as part of a second phase, the demolition of two parts of the building is to start, some of which date from the early days of the clinic. These parts of the building will be replaced by a new building (wing A +). This is to become the new heart of future clinic operations.

    The entire construction project should be completed in 2027. According to an article in the “Luzerner Zeitung”, Hirslanden is investing a total of more than 100 million francs in the renovation.

    "With the construction project we are building a bridge to the future," said clinic director Martin Nufer in the article in the "Luzerner Zeitung". The investment also makes it possible to close supply gaps. “In oncology, for example, thanks to the renovation, we can finally also offer radiotherapy, which requires special equipment and facilities. We simply didn't have enough space in today's building, ”says Nufer.

    The St. Anna Clinic in Lucerne was founded in 1911 by the St. Anna Sisters community and has been part of the Hirslanden Private Clinic Group since 2005.

  • Drilling for the Ennetsee heating network begins

    Drilling for the Ennetsee heating network begins

    According to a press release from WWZ , the construction of the 6.5 kilometer long heat transport pipeline from Perlen to Rotkreuz is in the starting blocks. It is part of the Ennetsee heating network. A challenge of this construction phase is the trenchless crossing under the Reuss and the A14 motorway. To this end, WWZ is starting these days between the sports field of the Root LU sports club and the Rütilöli area in Inwil LU with two pilot drillings for protective plastic pipes. The official start of construction is at the end of March, beginning of April.

    The official start of construction of this heat transport pipeline from the Renergia waste incineration plant in Perlen to Rotkreuz is planned for this spring. The district heating pipes would then also be pulled into the protective pipes under the A14 motorway. After completion of the major project, the region should save around 12,000 tons of CO2 annually.

  • Zurich adapts real estate strategy to growth

    Zurich adapts real estate strategy to growth

    Liegenschaften Stadt Zürich (LSZ) acts as the owner, investor and manager of buildings in the city that are rented to third parties. Now LSZ has redefined its strategy to take the city's growth into account. “This growth is gratifying and confirms the policy of the city council. At the same time, however, it also poses a challenge, for example in relation to the increasing need for space for urban infrastructure and non-profit living, ”City Councilor Daniel Leupi is quoted in a communication from the City of Zurich , head of the finance department.

    In the context of the fields of action residential, commercial / special real estate and land reserves / building rights, priorities are to be set in the future. This includes the preservation of small businesses, the transparent leasing of both residential and commercial space, digitization and ecological sustainability.

    In addition, land reserves, which will not be finalized until the next few years, are to be opened for temporary use. This would create free spaces, "which are also used very actively culturally and not commercially and thus contribute to a colorful and diverse city," says von Leupi.

  • Ludicious Zurich Game Festival ceases operations

    Ludicious Zurich Game Festival ceases operations

    The city of Zurich and the Pro Helvetia cultural foundation will no longer continue the Ludicious Zurich Game Festival, according to a media release . The event was considered to be one of the largest gaming festivals in German-speaking countries. It consisted of a combination of presentations, panel discussions, seminars and awards ceremonies. The event last took place digitally in July 2020 due to the corona pandemic.

    The city of Zurich intends to support Swiss game developers in the future in other formats, according to the announcement. Meanwhile, Pro Helvetia wants to get involved in the presentation of Swiss developers at international conferences.

    “I am very sad to see Ludicious disappear after years of growth. At the same time, we are aware that we have helped to bring the Swiss game developers together and to support them, ”said Ludicious President Chris Bergstresser as quoted in the press release.

  • Poenina takes over Kälte 3000 AG

    Poenina takes over Kälte 3000 AG

    Bündner Kälte 3000 AG will belong to Poenina Holding as of March 31, 2021, the building services group from the Zurich economic area informed in a message . According to her, the relevant contract was signed on January 15th. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

    "With the acquisition of Kälte 3000 AG, we are continuing our growth strategy in the core competence areas of heating and cooling," said Jean Claude Bregy, CEO of the Poenina Group, in the press release. The new acquisition, which specializes in services for refrigeration technology, has, in addition to its headquarters in Landquart, branches in Samedan GR, Untereggen SG and Regensdorf ZH. The company's annual turnover is estimated at around 15 million francs.

    The previous directors Ronny Berry, Robert Gadient and Pius Gruber will also manage Kälte 3000 AG under the Poenina umbrella. The company will also continue to operate under its old name, informs Poenina in the announcement.

  • Dietikon chooses architecture project for school expansion

    Dietikon chooses architecture project for school expansion

    The winner in the architecture competition for the expansion of the Wolfsmatt school complex in Dietikon has been determined. The Zurich architectural office Bünzli Courvoisier was awarded the contract by the Dietiker city council. On the one hand, according to the media release, the design “In the green” was convincing by retaining the basic idea of a pavilion school with arcades between the units and a structurally enclosed playground. On the other hand, the offer was also among the cheapest, it is said.

    The school house expansion has become necessary because of the increasing number of students. The Wolfsmatt facility was built in 1962 and has become too small. Today, according to the announcement, it has to be expanded to include two more primary class trains, group, daycare and multi-purpose rooms as well as a gym. The extensions will be built to the south of the existing facility. This should also create a new access. From a landscape point of view, the current figure of pavilion buildings and surrounding open spaces will be preserved and logically supplemented, according to the announcement.

    The contract for the general planning team under the leadership of Bünzli Courvoisier Architekten AG is to be awarded in a referendum in 2022. If approved, construction is to begin in 2024. The model for the project can be viewed in the foyer of the town hall from now until February 12th.

  • Jasmina Ritz promotes the idea of the Limmatstadt

    Jasmina Ritz promotes the idea of the Limmatstadt

    According to Jasmina Ritz, the Limmat Valley and the idea of the Limmat City is more than just the route between Baden and Zurich. The managing director of Limmatstadt AG , now based in Schlieren, pointed out in an interview in the customer magazine "blue" of the electricity works of the canton of Zurich ( EKZ ) that the change from an agglomeration area to a coherent urban area has long been taking place there. "We accompany this change, bundle resources, combine the advantages and strengths of the individual communities into a common Limmat city", Ritz is quoted as saying. It names four important cornerstones for the realization of the idea of transforming the many municipalities – which are not to be merged – into a city on the Limmat: Networking of municipalities and politicians, the economy and the population. As a second point, Ritz mentions the positioning of the region with a common face, the development of the region as well as image promotion and the creation of a supra-regional awareness.

    From Jasmina Ritz's point of view, the Limmattalbahn is very important for the desired cohesion. The managing director is quoted as saying that it is not just a huge commitment to the federal and cantonal region. The railway networks the communities and is the backbone of urban development, "Without the tram, the Limmat Valley would have been just an agglomeration", Ritz is quoted as saying in "blue".

    This growing together and a shared cross-border vision was made possible by the development in the Limmat Valley. In the past, this was only perceived as an industrial location and a traffic axis. But a common city on the Limmat with its numerous municipalities would have much more economic and political weight. Limmatstadt AG is setting a cultural and economic agenda for the entire region. The regional magazine "36 km" – named after the length of the Limmat between Zurich and Baden – draws attention to regional products or recommends the best hiking trails, bike routes and the like. The daily newsletter “punkt4 Limmatstadt”, in which the activities of the companies are exclusively present, contributes to the “branding strategy”, ie the anchoring of the name Limmatstadt in the consciousness. Ritz: "There is no other region."

  • Limmatstadt AG is now based in Schlieren

    Limmatstadt AG is now based in Schlieren

    The Limmatstadt AG location promotion organization has moved from Zurich to Schlieren. With the new year she is now based in JED , the former NZZ printing company. From the new premises within the Coworking Space Branch Collab on the ground floor of JED, managing director Jasmina Ritz and her employees will continue to campaign for the Limmattal location and are now even closer to the pulse of the region, as a message shows .

    In JED with anchor tenants such as Zühlke and Halter , innovations are promoted and jobs are created. The Coworking Space Branch Collab also contributes to this with its flexible workspaces and as a platform for collaborative work. The companies and entrepreneurs based in JED as well as Limmatstadt AG benefit from the easy accessibility via the Limmattalbahn (Wagonsfabrik stop).

  • Implenia is building on the Empa campus in Dübendorf

    Implenia is building on the Empa campus in Dübendorf

    Implenia is implementing the first stage of the new Empa campus in Dübendorf. According to its media release , the construction company will build a laboratory building, a multifunctional building and a multi-storey car park for the Federal Water Supply Agency (Eawag) from spring 2021. Completion is planned for autumn 2023. The order volume is around CHF 56 million.

    This winning project by sam architects emerged from a two-stage overall performance competition. In the press release, Implenia describes its architectural language as “functionally elegant and elegantly reserved”. All new buildings are to receive a Minergie-P-Eco certification.

    "We are very pleased that we are able to carry out another interesting project for Empa Eawag with the research campus", Jens Vollmar, Head Division Buildings at Implenia, is quoted in the press release. "We are thus building on the longstanding relationship that we were able to develop, for example, with the successful implementation of the Chriesbach Forum, also in Dübendorf."