

Zurich is driving the market for condominiums
Asking prices for residential real estate continue to rise in Switzerland, but the picture is becoming more uneven. In June 2026, condominium prices nationwide rose by 4.5 percent compared with the previous year. The Zurich region saw particularly strong growth, while single-family homes are

Lenzburg Strengthens Hitachi’s Position as a Semiconductor Hub
In Lenzburg, Hitachi Energy broke ground on a new six-story building. Approximately 200 additional jobs, new logistics space, and more room for manufacturing demonstrate the extent to which the site is being expanded as a Swiss semiconductor

Josef-Areal Remains at the Center of the Dispute Over the Number of Housing Units
On the Josef site in Zurich-West, the city is sticking to its plan for 140 to 170 new affordable housing units following an additional round of planning. Together with 135 senior housing units, this would total up to 305 units—significantly fewer than what politicians and planners had called

Germany’s rental market is outpacing incomes
In major German cities, asking rents have been rising significantly faster than real wages since 2023. At the same time, housing construction fell to 206,600 completions in 2025. This is increasing the pressure on project developers, investors, and cities to provide affordable

350 flats, a high-rise block, a bakery
In Schlieren, a new neighbourhood is taking shape on a former industrial site, offering a glimpse of what urban life in Switzerland might look like in the future. Two projects by the same developer take contrasting approaches that complement each other perfectly. On the one hand: wood, bread and


Lerchenfeld Plans to Build Denser and Taller
In St. Gallen’s Lerchenfeld district, the city is establishing the framework for an increase in gross floor area from 65,000 to approximately 185,000 square meters. In certain areas, buildings up to 85 meters tall would be possible, supported by job creation, new green spaces, and the momentum

Zurich Struggles with Housing in Its Existing Stock
The Canton of Zurich expects its population to reach approximately 1.9 million by 2055. However, new zoning designations are not a priority. The main bottlenecks increasingly lie in mobilizing existing reserves, in administrative procedures, and in resistance to

Habeck Strengthens Urban Partners in Germany
Robert Habeck will join Urban Partners effective August 1, 2026. For the Danish urban development investor, this is more than just a personnel change: The company is expanding its presence in Germany and forging closer links between affordable housing, brownfield development, and institutional

Zurich Eases Protection Rules for Historic Buildings
In the future, a building will be considered a historic monument only if it meets at least two of four strict criteria. On July 2, 2026, the Zurich Cantonal Council approved a revision of the Planning and Building Act for submission to the Cantonal Assembly, which will significantly simplify

Bellechasse is building the future of detention
In Sugiez, the Canton of Fribourg has begun construction of the new central prison. The 70.8 million Swiss franc project brings together pretrial detention, open-prison facilities, and ancillary infrastructure at a single location, marking a new chapter in the prison system both in terms of

Schlieren’s most valuable land belongs to the City of Zurich
In the heart of Schlieren lies a site whose land belongs to the City of Zurich but is situated within Schlieren’s municipal boundaries. Covering over 324,000 square metres, it was originally acquired for the gasworks, developed in the 1980s and is now one of the most innovative sites in the


Zurich is easing restrictions on the old building
The Zurich Cantonal Government is making sweeping changes to a delicate system. In the future, it will be easier to renovate protected buildings; conservatives are celebrating, while the historic preservation society is sounding the alarm. A new tension is emerging between historic heritage and

The more space you have, the less you pay
Same apartment, same square meters, completely different price. A housing cooperative in Lucerne is turning the traditional rental system on its head and rewarding large households instead of those with small budgets. The idea sounds simple, but it strikes a chord that’s resonating throughout the

Four Times the Service Life for Old Steel Beams
A crack in a steel component usually means either a costly replacement or continuing to use it at the risk of danger. Empa researchers are now pointing to a third option. With metallic 3D printing, damaged steel components can be repaired in a targeted manner without having to replace them

The City That Blocks Itself
One of Switzerland’s most renowned urban planners is turning her attention to her own hometown. Sibylle Wälty of ETH Zurich accuses Baden of being far too cautious in its construction efforts, even though the city could actually accommodate twice as many people. Her conclusion is clear: the new

Six Demands to Address the Housing Crisis
The Swiss rental housing market is at a standstill. More and more people are unable to find suitable housing, while others remain in apartments that no longer suit their life circumstances. The “Swiss Alliance for Housing” is therefore calling for a clear change of course—away from subsidies

Emmen secures access to the Sonne site
By approving 1.36 million Swiss francs for Gersagstrasse, Emmen is directly linking transport infrastructure improvements with site development. The short section near Gersag railway station remains a bottleneck, yet it is also essential for providing access to the planned ‘Sonne’

Geneva authorities are insisting on clear rules
The USPI Geneva has accompanied its 2025 annual report with a clear call to action for policymakers and the administration. The association highlights 320,000 properties under management, 650 million Swiss francs in construction investment, and increasing pressure on refurbishment, new-build

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


New replacement development combines housing, commercial use and urban regeneration
In Rapperswil-Jona, the redevelopment of the vacant centre on Untere Bahnhofstrasse is set to deliver not only 77 flats and new retail space. The project will also alter the street layout, make a tricky bend safer and promote low-car living in its letting

New building marks the completion of the long-term site development
Zephyr West marks the start of the final major construction phase of the industrial transformation at the company’s main site in Zug. The new headquarters brings together development, training and administration, and signals the transition from the vertical factory to the next phase of the tech

Geneva is allocating 1.25 billion for 300 refurbishment projects
The Canton of Geneva plans to renovate around 300 particularly energy-intensive public buildings by 2038. The programme is allocating 1.25 billion Swiss francs to those properties that account for the lion’s share of building-related emissions, thereby increasing the pressure to renovate public

Kloten begins work on its most expensive Schluefweg renovation project
Work on the refurbishment of the indoor swimming pool, energy centre and ancillary buildings is set to begin in summer 2026 on Schluefweg in Kloten. The public-sector project, costing around 133 million Swiss francs, will be carried out in phases and will see the site undergoing a complex

St. Moritz gets Du Lac back on track
Following the withdrawal of an appeal, St. Moritz can now continue with the construction of the Du Lac residential block, comprising 31 flats for local residents. The case illustrates just how much administrative procedures in tourist destinations under pressure can delay even municipal housing

Stadelhofen is reorganising its traffic
The Zurich Cantonal Council has approved the amendment to the structural plan for the area around Stadelhofen railway station. This brings the reorganisation of traffic in the front part of Seefeld a step closer: Falkenstrasse is to become a priority cycle route, whilst through traffic will be

Zug launches public transport hub with a residential development
Following years of planning, work is now getting underway on an infrastructure project at the An der Aa site in Zug. The new base for the ZVB, the emergency services and the administration will also provide space for around 160 flats from 2031, 40 per cent of which will be affordable