Zürich

Arnaud Tandt

Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city as well as the cradle of cooperative living, is at the forefront of European research into new housing typologies and the integration of mixed-use programs into urban life. The quality of architecture is this city is particularly high.

With its “Wohngenossenschaften” founded in 1907, Zurich has a particularly rich tradition of collective and cooperative living. These housing cooperatives arose in response to a housing shortage and a lack of affordable housing for the working class. Today, these Genossenschaften are open to all. Currently, 25% of housing in Zurich is owned by either the municipality or the Genossenschaften.

Arnaud Tandt


Sigrid Decramer


Arnaud Tandt

“The principle of the cooperative is simple: many people work together and found a cooperative of which they become shareholders. The cooperative builds houses and rents them to its members. The rent of a house within a cooperative is calculated on the basis of actual costs, making it about 26% cheaper than the private rental market in Zurich. Cooperatives are highly valued and supported by city policies. Since only 37% own their homes in Switzerland, and barely 9% in Zurich, the success of cooperatives speaks for itself. It is a very attractive rental model.” (Architectuurwijzer)

In recent decades, these housing cooperatives have been strongly promoted to keep housing in the Swiss city affordable, to keep urban living attractive for families, to increase housing density. Many ambitious projects have been launched, innovative research stimulated, …

From the Flemish perspective, these housing projects are a source of inspiration as a possible answer to the housing crisis in Flanders. Where else but in exciting Zurich can we be better inspired? With its many top architects and renowned architecture school in ETH, we are truly in the mecca of architectural and urban planning creativity.

• Living, because that is precisely our focus this year, and we are looking for answers abroad.
• Collectivity, because this is the key to social well-being, against loneliness, against anonymity, not only in terms of housing, but also in terms of facilities and public space.
• Craftsmanship, because Swiss precision is unparalleled, because here we discover how the whole picture is completed.

Sigrid Decramer Adrian Streich – Schulanlage Schauenberg


Sigrid Decramer Ana Otero – Wolkengespräch


Ewout De Bleser Schneider Studer Primas – Zwicky Areal Süd

Five days of Zurich, five days immersed in a search for answers to pressing social issues.
On foot, by public transport, by (electric) bicycle, … we wander through the city according to certain themes, certain points of view.

We see work of Christ & Gantenbein, EM2N, Caruso St John, Schneider Studer Primas, Barozzi Veiga, Duplex Architekten, Christian Kerez, Enzmann Fisher, A.D.P. Walter Ramseier, Müller Sigrist Architekten, Knorr & Pürckhauer Architekten, Esch Sintzel, Conen Sigl, Baumberger & Stegmeier, Esther & Rudolf Guyer, …

We go in search of MORE HOUSING.

Sigrid Decramer Conen Sigl – Hochbord

Content Guidance: Sigrid Decramer, Arnaud Tandt en Ewout De Bleser