The Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences OST shows: Inner densification creates new living space - and with good planning can also improve the quality of life in cities and

Logis Suisse is building a residential development with around 270 apartments in Untere Spichermatt in Stans. Zurich architects Studio Sintzel and landscape architects Uniola AG are implementing the CHF 141 million

An entire area at Wollishofen station is being reinvented. A historic timber building is being dismantled and reassembled at a different location. What sounds like a compromise is actually a solution that sacrifices neither residential construction nor monument protection. After more than ten years

Steel bends, rubber stretches, materials always react to forces in the same way. Until now. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have developed a metamaterial that learns, forgets and adapts flexibly, without a central brain or program code. The study was published in "Nature Physics" and

Developing new products safely and sustainably before damage occurs. This is the aim of the EU's "Safe and Sustainable by Design" concept. Many companies fear that this will mean additional work. However, a new analysis by Empa shows that the concept is already in line with around two thirds of the

Check building applications, check completeness, relieve authorities. What has long sounded like a dream of the future is now becoming a reality in the canton of Zurich. Based on a postulate from cantonal councillor Sonja Rueff-Frenkel, the cantonal government has commissioned two studies and has

For decades, the Müllerbräu site was a piece of Baden's industrial history. Now, the building plans have been dropped and one of the most striking residential projects in the canton of Aargau has emerged. 136 rental apartments, commercial premises, restaurants and a specialty brewery in the

Opposite Laufenburg station, a residential ensemble is being built that draws strength from the contradictions of its location. Two staggered buildings, a lush green layer and over 30 apartments. Together with Urben Seyboth AG, AWW Architekten AG has won an invited study contract that is far more

Where until a few years ago there was a grain silo tower from the 1930s, today an elegant residential tower with a 30-metre-high solar façade rises into the Prättigau sky. Grüsch Mill in the Grisons municipality of Grüsch is Switzerland's first DGNB-certified reconstruction project. No

In March 2026, consumer sentiment in Switzerland stood at - 43 points. 8 points below the previous year's level and the lowest level since the beginning of 2024. Households are more pessimistic about the economy, finances and major purchases. Geopolitical tensions are weighing on sentiment. SECO

Today, sawdust usually ends up in the oven. Tomorrow it could protect houses from fire. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have developed a composite material that combines wood waste with the mineral struvite and achieves the fire protection class of conventional cement boards. The material

Part-time work alone won’t solve the problem. At the event “We’re Counting on You!” held on March 26, 2026, at CAMPUS SURSEE, it became clear that the construction and infrastructure sector is facing a cultural shift. Anyone who wants to succeed in the competition for skilled workers must

Is the heyday of sustainability already over? What was once a new departure and a will to shape the future is increasingly losing weight in day-to-day operations. Short-term solutions are being prioritized among cost, market and usage issues, while structural decisions are being postponed. Yet now

Building permits determine how quickly residential, commercial and energy projects become reality. In Switzerland, analog routines and digital ambitions collide. Those who invest in functioning e-processes today gain speed, transparency and political

The real estate industry is not necessarily an industry that changes quickly. Buildings exist for decades, processes are complex and many decisions are based on

The city of Biel is well on its way to becoming climate-neutral in its administrative operations by 2040 and across the entire city by 2050. However, to achieve these goals in the long term, public participation is becoming increasingly

Lucerne is just in the top third of the cantons in terms of competitiveness. But far behind in terms of innovative strength. This is set to change. The cantonal government is applying to the cantonal council for a special loan of CHF 24 million for a new foundation to provide SMEs with targeted

As one of the first PropTech pioneers in Switzerland, Heinz Schwyter knows the digital development of the real estate industry like no other. In this interview, he talks about the importance of data, the role of AI, cultural and organizational hurdles and which trends and technologies will shape

Smart cities mark the transition from traditional urban planning to data-based, networked and learning urban systems. According to international rankings, cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Lausanne have been among the world leaders for years. Not because of individual gadgets, but thanks to clear

Hydrogen is supposed to heat houses, power cars and save industry. That sounds like a simple solution to a complex problem. The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research has now evaluated more than 100 studies and the result is clear: hydrogen is not a panacea, but a targeted tool.

Seven years of work, two appeals, a decision by the cantonal government and now Bremgarten's new land use plan has been almost fully in force since February 2, 2026. Almost, because the cantonal government sent three points back to the town. The municipal assembly will decide again in

In September 2025, almost 60 percent of school citizens voted in favor of the new Lärche school center in Arbon. Now a single objector is threatening to torpedo the timetable. The attic storey is 80 centimetres too high. The dispute over centimeters could cost

Zurich wants to save its historic arsenals on the barracks site. But the price tag has risen dramatically. What was once estimated at 55 million francs now costs almost four times as much. The city council has presented a new utilization concept and is focusing on culture, commerce and a social

The Federal Council decided on April 1, 2026 that the imputed rental value will not be abolished until 2029. What is considered a compromise politically sounds like a stalling tactic to many of those affected. But the direction has long been

On April 2, 2026, a stone fell on one of Baden's last large building land reservoirs - five to be precise. The Brisgi site in the Kappelerhof district entered its decisive phase with a symbolic laying of the foundation stone. Around 220 affordable apartments will be built here by 2028, providing a

Horw is systematically transforming the centre around the railway station. What has already been built to the west of the railway tracks is now getting its eastern counterpart. Nine new buildings, a 14-storey tower block in the centre and a bus station that will make everyday life easier for

One in ten jobs in the Zurich region is linked to the financial sector. Around 16 per cent of total regional value added comes from banks, insurance companies and banking-related service providers. A new study puts the figures on the table and at the same time the Zurich Banking Association makes a

A former military site, 60 hectares, characterized for decades by uniforms and armaments factories. Now cutting-edge research is to move in. The city of Thun is getting serious and is advancing CHF 16 million to ensure that the new Empa building does not fail due to lack of funding. What sounds

Anyone driving through Graubünden after Easter will need patience. This year there are 128 roadworks on 1360 kilometers of cantonal road. That's one every ten kilometers. Sounds like a lot, but it's less than in 2025, when 174 roadworks were still slowing down traffic at the same time. However,

Capping rents, making terminations more difficult, securing living space. That sounds like social justice. But in Basel-Stadt, it is precisely this logic that has brought housing construction to a standstill. Now Zurich is set to follow the same path on June 14. Those who ignore the warning signs