54 million for ageing with dignity

With 76.6 per cent of the public voting in favour and a construction loan of 44.3 million Swiss francs, the city is building a completely new care home. On the site of the former, outdated Sandbühl, a building is to be constructed by 2028 that combines housing, care and city life. It is a project that sets new standards and demonstrates how local authorities can take a proactive approach to issues relating to ageing.

The existing Sandbühl retirement home has long since reached its limits. The space requirements had grown, the building was no longer up to modern standards, and the concept no longer met the expectations of older people today. The town of Schlieren began planning at an early stage, launched an architectural competition in 2019 and secured an experienced partner in the form of the architectural practice Liechti Graf Zumsteg from Brugg.

A timber-framed building in the heart of the town
The new ‘Wohnen am Stadtpark’ retirement home will feature a two-storey concrete base and four further storeys constructed from timber. A restaurant will be situated on the ground floor; the first floor will house the 28 care rooms, and above these will be the 60 retirement flats ranging from 1½ to 3½ rooms. The construction will require 3,900 cubic metres of concrete and 5,200 cubic metres of timber, some of which comes from the Limmat Valley itself. The building will be certified to the Minergie-P ECO standard.

Independent living, care when needed
The concept is designed so that residents live in their own flats and can gradually access additional support. Meals, cleaning, support and care can be booked on a modular basis. This allows residents to retain their independence for as long as possible, without having to move into a traditional care home. This principle is in line with what experts have been calling for for years, yet is still too rarely put into practice.

Referendum as a vote of confidence
In March 2023, the people of Schlieren voted on the building loan. The result was a clear ‘yes’ vote, with 76.6 per cent in favour. This is a clear commitment to the project and to the local authority’s responsibility for care for the elderly. For an investment of this magnitude, such a result is remarkable and demonstrates the high level of confidence in the planning.

Ground-breaking ceremony in April 2026, move-in 2029
Construction work officially began with the ground-breaking ceremony on 13 April 2026. The structural work is due to be completed by the end of 2028, and the first residents are expected to move in in mid-2029. The letting of the retirement flats is handled directly by the town of Schlieren, which underlines the charitable nature of the project.

Text: Jessica Bill • Image: courtesy of the publisher