Tag: Überbauung

Test planning for the development of the AEW site in Aarau

Together with the Aarau municipal building authority, AEW intends to carry out test planning for the development on the AEW site in the autumn. Immobilien AEW AG is the owner of the almost 60–year–old development, which consists of a tower block, the High Court and a restaurant. The owner is a wholly owned subsidiary of AEW Energie AG, which, together with the Aargau courts as the largest tenants of the buildings, has analysed the future requirements for the location and workplace, according to a press release.

The analysis has shown that structural development and densification of the site is necessary to maintain its current use in the long term. According to the press release, the upcoming test planning should analyse and clarify the framework conditions and requirements for a high-quality further development of the site in greater depth. The existing buildings will be included in the test in order to show how they could be dealt with.

Based on the findings from the test planning, a well-founded directional decision is to be made that will be decisive for the further development in 2025. Three planning teams will develop the planning concepts in dialogue with the monitoring committees. The test planning is expected to be completed in spring 2025.

May 2024
Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 awarded to eco-neighbourhood in Lausanne

The “Pra Roman” site development by the Codha cooperative and the “Sur le Pra” association won the Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 because the development takes on the ecological and social networking functions for the neighbourhood and the city in an extremely exemplary manner and the project was approached in a participatory manner from the very beginning. The 2023 prize was announced as part of the annual theme “groundbreaking site developments”.

Ecologically networked living spaces
The “Pra Roman” housing estate with twelve apartment buildings on an area of 22,000 square metres is located on the outskirts of Lausanne. The surrounding area was integrated into the planning and construction of the 2020 development in an exemplary manner. For example, the award-winner created alternating humid wildlife corridors with integrated small structures for amphibians and small mammals and to promote wild plants. This awareness of taking responsibility for ecological connectivity in a larger system is central to the promotion of biodiversity in the settlement area.

Involving residents in planning
Raising residents’ awareness of biodiversity promotion was an important part of the “Pra Roman” project from the very beginning. Codha, the developer and cooperative for non-profit housing, initiated the association “Sur le Pra” at the beginning of the planning phase and developed a participatory process. Future residents met early on for site tours or nature observations and, with a high degree of design freedom, designed their near-natural outdoor spaces in workshops, which they later realised independently. The building owner supported them financially.

Vegetable garden enables encounter and sensitisation
One of these green spaces is the community vegetable garden. Here people exchange ideas and get to know nature as a basis for life. The culture of sustainable living and land use runs like a thread through the entire “Pra Roman” project. The surrounding ecosystems are observed, imitated in their diversity and connected with the settlement area.

“We are convinced that this excellent example will encourage other real estate developers to think about biodiversity at an early stage and involve many people,” says Peter Lehmann, vice president of the jury for the award.

Recognition prize goes to the Areal Bach project in St. Gallen
In addition to the main prize, the Foundation also awards a recognition prize of 25,000 Swiss francs for smaller sites. The Areal Bach, an interim use near the St.Fiden railway station in St.Gallen, receives this prize because it impressively demonstrates the potential of the many fallow areas in the cities. With its perseverance and commitment, the Areal Bach association overcame resistance, seized the opportunity and, together with the population, ecologically upgraded the areas and revitalised them with creative ideas. It has managed to get many stakeholders on board to realise a jointly supported, multifaceted project. A temporary green oasis was created from a non-place, which can lay the foundations for biodiversity and quality of stay for the planning of a future area development.

June 2023
Winning project for the Horgen Oberdorf station area has been decided

SBB is planning new residential and commercial space and a modern transport hub on the approximately 2,100 square metre Horgen Oberdorf station site. SBB commissioned a study to find a convincing and sustainable urban development project for the site. A jury of external experts, representatives of the client and the municipality has now selected the winning project. The winning team – consisting of Galli Rudolf Architekten AG, Westpol Landschaftsarchitektur and Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG – delivered the most convincing overall concept: the planning team’s proposal takes into account the local conditions and skilfully combines open space and urban development. In its unanimous decision, the jury praised the way in which the building, consisting of different volumes, blends into the townscape. The project takes up the structures of the quarter on the valley side and those of the quarter south of Neugasse.

45 flats with communal roof gardens
The basis of the new development is a base level that covers and connects the entire length of the railway station. Above this are five buildings with residential and commercial spaces facing the lake. A photovoltaic system will be installed on the roof of the commercial building, and communal roof gardens will be created on the four residential buildings. The spaces between the buildings become private green spaces. With its façade grid of timber frame and photovoltaic elements, the building envelope refers to the Schweiter industrial site on the hillside. At the level of the tracks, a special static construction ensures a space free of supports and thus obstacles, which benefits passenger, bus and taxi traffic. Two pedestal buildings provide shopping and gastronomy facilities for travellers and station visitors. The new station square will have a restaurant/café and seating. A row of trees with benches and waiting shelters along the edge of the slope frame the square and create a village square atmosphere. The staircase between Bahnhofplatz, Stadtterrasse and Passerelle creates a new neighbourhood connection. Oberdorfstrasse will be redesigned as a pedestrian zone and will have a wider pavement on the lake side. This will increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists and make crossing the road easier.

With the development at Horgen Oberdorf station, SBB is creating around 45 flats in an excellent location, one third of which will be in the affordable segment. The flat sizes vary between 1.5 and 4.5 rooms. Approximately 240 square metres are available for gastronomy and retail, and 750 square metres for services. 20 P+R parking spaces, around 100 Bike+Rail parking spaces and two taxi ranks allow for convenient transfers between the various means of transport. The buildings will be constructed according to the DGNB sustainability standards. Implementation is expected from the end of 2025.

Public project exhibition at the municipal administration
The competition entries will be exhibited for the interested public: on 25 May 2023 to 2 June 2023 during opening hours at the municipal administration Horgen, Bahnhofstrasse 10, 8810 Horgen.

May 2023
Halter realizes winning project in Emmen

At the Seetalplatz in Emmen, a new development with a variety of uses for all sections of the population is to be built. There was a competition for this, in which six architects' offices took part. According to the press release , the study drawn up by Westpol Landschaftsarchitektur from Basel together with Dreier Frenzel architecture + communication from Lausanne emerged as the winner and is recommended for further processing.

On behalf of the Rüüssegg housing cooperative, the planning and implementation of the superstructure will be carried out under the leadership of Halter AG . Completion of the entire development on the relevant construction sites is scheduled for the end of 2026.

The Rüüssegg housing cooperative based in Lucerne is the holder of the building right. It was founded by Halter AG and the non-profit housing cooperative Wir sind Stadtgarten after they, as a bidding consortium, had been awarded the building lease by the Lucerne government council in June 2021.

The winning concept "offers an opportunity for social interaction, communication and exchange between residents and users," says the managing director of the Rüüssegg housing cooperative, Thomas Häusler.

"In addition to a well-balanced mix of apartments in terms of price and space, the project also provides age-appropriate housing, commercial, office and studio space, which allows for a mix and social diversity," says Peter Lötscher, Head of Portfolio Management at the Canton of Lucerne's Real Estate Office. This also fulfills the mandate of the cantonal parliament.

April 2022
Litterna: Agreement finally reached

The people of Visper associate numerous memories with the Litterna Hall, built in 1978, as the hall was the home ground of EHC Visp from 1979 to 2019. Before the hall was demolished, the farewell was duly celebrated with a party in autumn 2019 – and at the same time the new ice sports and event hall, the Lonza Arena, was inaugurated. There has been a legally binding district plan for the Litterna site since 2018, which provides for several mixed-use residential and commercial buildings. Accordingly, the client Swiss Prime Investment Foundation planned to start construction work on the four buildings in total after the demolition of the hall in autumn 2020. However, a resident's objection to the planning application delayed the approval process. Nevertheless, the building application was approved by the Visper municipal council in December 2020, and the objection was rejected: the municipality argued that the buildings and facilities would correspond to the purpose and the district plan. The objector took his complaint further and reached the State Council in spring 2021. The Valais government also rejected the appeal against the municipality's decision, whereupon the objector went to the cantonal court as the next instance. However, before the Valais judiciary could make a further decision, the objectors and the client reached an agreement.
The construction work on the approximately 15,700 m2 area, which is an important building block due to its location along the railway line and the proximity to the public transport hubs
nothing stands in the way of the overarching settlement development of Visp. The four buildings will contain 138 rental apartments, commercial premises on the ground floors, a day-care center and a retail store. The first apartments should not be ready for occupancy until autumn 2023 at the earliest. The client Swiss Prime Investment Foundation is investing around 70 million Swiss francs in the Visper location. Total contractor is Eiffage Suisse, the construction work is being carried out by the Volken Group.

February 2022
Umwelt Arena implements lighthouse project in Urdorf

The development of the Umwelt Arena in Männedorf received the Watt d'or 2021 from the Federal Office of Energy. The two multi-family houses in Männedorf can cover their energy needs with photovoltaic modules on the facades and roofs and two wind turbines. This means that your residents are exempt from electricity and heating costs up to an upper limit.

The Umwelt Arena is now following up with a new lighthouse project. In Urdorf, three more energy self-sufficient residential buildings are to be realized, is explained in an article on energeia + . The blog of the Federal Office of Energy will accompany the implementation of the project in a loose series of articles. In the first article, Walter Schmid, investor and initiator of the Umwelt Arena, explains the planned development.

As in Männedorf, the buildings in Urdorf will also produce their own energy, explains Schmid. “Photovoltaic systems are installed on the facade, on the flat roof or the entrance to the underground car park.” Excess energy produced in summer is to be fed into the gas network and withdrawn in winter. In order to convert the gas back into electricity and heat, a hybrid box will be installed in the basement of the building. The tenants of the residential buildings are to be exempted from electricity and heating costs up to an upper limit.

In the brochure for the project, the development in Urdorf is referred to as a “national future project”. Because the project should show "that it is worthwhile to build energy-efficiently and win everyone in the process," says the initiator Schmid. Männedorf has already shown that the idea works, that the larger project in Urdorf should "make it even cheaper, more economical". Because this is the only way to attract imitators.

June 2021
"Gupfengarten" in Niederweningen receives building permit

The building permit for the Gupfengarten residential development in Niederweningen is now legally binding. According to a media release, construction on a well-developed area south of the 3,000-inhabitant village should begin in late summer. The project is being implemented by the Zurich project developer Steiner AG on behalf of Evostate Immobilien AG.

The Gupfengarten project comprises 36 single-family houses and three multi-family houses with 21 condominiums. It should be completed by the 3rd quarter of 2023. Graf Biscioni Architekten AG is responsible for the architecture.

Othmar Ulrich, Head of Real Estate Development in the Eastern Region at Steiner AG, points out in the press release that the marketing of the apartments began last year. "With the legally binding building permit, another important milestone has now been reached," said Ulrich. The 36 row single-family houses with 4.5 and 5.5 rooms have their own private garden and are child-friendly. The 21 condominium apartments with 2.5 to 4.5 rooms have a covered outdoor area. The traffic-free settlement has an underground car park with direct access to the residential units.

The Gupfengarten project focuses on sustainability with heat generation using a heat pump and photovoltaic system. The building envelope is made of wood for optimal thermal insulation values. The Gupfengarten development is within walking distance of the train station. From there it is 35 minutes by train to the center of Zurich.

May 2021
The development of the Metalli is going according to plan

The Metalli development is located in the core zone of Zug and is to be redesigned. Urban development projects are known to be protracted projects. Interventions in urban structures change the appearance of a city and affect many people accordingly. «We are aware of our responsibility. It is therefore important to find out what the needs of the population, residents and all other users of Metalli are, ”says Peter Wicki, Project Development Manager at Zug Estates. Politicians, interest groups and other groups or people also bring their concerns to the table. The aim is to create an intensely greened, sustainable and ecological metal. The building should have architectural and urban highlights. The current qualities and the wide range of products are to be retained. The interest groups advocate a meeting place where non-commercial activities are also possible. What is wanted is a new town square that will enliven the center near the train station between Zug and Baar, which has grown significantly in recent years. The existing glass passage is valued and should be retained in the same or a similar form. The aim is to expand non-motorized traffic – as well as affordable living space, more pop-up stores and other spontaneous or temporary uses of space.
Dialogue with everyone
"This balancing act of involving the various interest groups and yet developing a clear and strong idea that supports this place, which is so important for Zug and makes the city even more livable, is a great challenge and will remain so until the end," says Wicki. Two other key questions particularly stimulate him in this project: “How can we continue to grow without using up more land and still maintaining or even increasing the quality of today's settlement areas? At its core, it is about sustainable, high-quality interior compression ”. Just as important to Wicki is how the inner cities change as shopping behavior changes. "In the new Metalli habitat, we have to find an answer to these two central questions." This is an extremely relevant and exciting task.
More sustainable and greener
Nowadays, urban living spaces are designed differently than in the past. The Metalli was never developed as a pure shopping center, as the project development manager explains. Therefore, the area already brings numerous qualities of a modern living space with it. “Today it is already a lively quarter with a wide variety of uses and quality of stay. We want to further strengthen these qualities. " With the new Metalli-Platz, the district is being networked even further with the surrounding city. “The climatic conditions and awareness of sustainability have changed significantly in recent years. The new living space Metalli will become more sustainable and green. " Particular attention is paid to planting more trees and improving the quality of stay outdoors. The usage concept of the new living space should adapt to the current requirements of the Metalli visitors. «The trade will continue to change. The worlds of online and offline will merge. Companies have to find new ways to address consumers, ”summarizes Wicki. Metalli offers an ideal platform for this. In addition, they want to offer more products from the region.
Last autumn, the structural project by Hosoya Schaefer Architects with Nyx Architects and the landscape architect Lorenz Eugster was submitted to the city of Zug. This project emerged as the winner of the urban planning competition. The development plan is currently being drawn up. A period of two years is planned for this phase. At the same time, the tender for the project competition is being prepared. "If everything continues to go according to plan, we will be able to start construction work in 2025," says Wicki.

April 2021