
SMG reorganises its management structure
At SMG, the change of leadership is already being coordinated with the next change of leadership on the Board of Directors. Christoph Tonini is stepping down as CEO on 31 December 2026, but is set to take over as Chairman of the Board of Directors in April 2027. This means that the group’s

Zumikon enforces new planning law and halts the Huebrüti development
Zumikon is bringing the partial revision of the Building and Zoning Regulations into force on 1 January 2027. This means that new, harmonised measurement methods and amended regulations will apply to building applications. Ironically, the controversial rezoning in Huebrüti remains on hold for the

Zurich Deploys AI for 100,000 Buildings
With the sale of BuildingMinds to the Zurich-based platform Lookthrough, the AI analysis of institutional real estate portfolios is becoming more integrated. The combined platform is expected to utilize data from more than 100,000 buildings in 64 countries; the transaction is scheduled to close in

Limmat Revitalization Project Stumbles Over Contaminated Sites
The plans for the “Lebendige Limmat” will be available for public review through September 28, 2026. This major Zurich project aims to combine flood protection, biodiversity, and local recreation along a 3.2-kilometer stretch; however, at approximately 95 million Swiss francs, it will be

The Zurich Metropolitan Area Is Growing Closer Politically
Dieter Egli is taking over as chair of the Zurich Metropolitan Conference, with Claudio Bernold joining him. The leadership change comes at a time when the organization—which coordinates spatial planning, transportation, and location issues across cantonal and municipal boundaries—has also

Stability Is a Matter of Location Policy
The global economy is navigating turbulent waters. Trade conflicts, military escalations, and fragile supply chains are putting pressure on companies. Yet in the canton of Zurich, the economy remains remarkably stable. The reason lies deep within the region’s profile and is particularly evident

Zurich Battles Over 40 Meters and the Cost of Densification
On September 27, 2026, Zurich will vote on two new high-rise regulations. The real sticking point isn’t the very tall towers, but rather the 40-meter zones in the outlying neighborhoods. There, the logic of densification, project flexibility, and fears of displacement clash


Building more flats does little to reduce commuting
Zurich and Basel are grappling with the imbalance between jobs and housing. Yet this much-cited indicator, of all things, is losing its significance. A recent analysis shows that longer commutes are only weakly correlated with the ratio of workers to

The imputed rental value is gone, but the dispute remains
The imputed rental value is being phased out. But in Zurich, this is just the beginning of the next conflict. At the heart of the matter are heat pumps, solar roofs, and insulated facades. The canton must decide whether to continue offering tax incentives for climate-friendly renovations or to

Zurich Residential Buildings Are Facing a Yield Crisis
An apartment building on Döltschiweg in Zurich, with a clear need for renovation, is on the market for 7.8 million Swiss francs. This case illustrates how the low-interest-rate environment and investment pressure are driving even weak residential properties to price levels that leave virtually no

Early demolition is causing the pile of building rubble to grow even higher
Niederweningen highlights a growing problem. Residential buildings dating from the 1980s are set to be demolished, even though experts often see significant potential for renovation in precisely these properties. The environmental cost is high, as, according to the ZHAW, new buildings only recoup

High up or closer to the action
Zurich is debating building regulations. The discussion centers on housing, open spaces, the character of neighborhoods, and the question of what a growing city should look like. On September 27, 2026, voters will choose between two proposals for new high-rise building

Altstetten to gain 65 flats by 2029
At Badenerstrasse 501 to 505 in Zurich Altstetten, the way is now clear for a new replacement development. Sixty-five rental flats and commercial premises are to be built on the 1,700-square-metre site. The decision takes a long-planned project into the next concrete

Zurich Hesitates, “Dübai” Keeps Building
While Zurich trembles in anticipation of the referendum on its own high-rise ambitions, towers elsewhere continue to soar skyward. Basel and Dübendorf are engaged in a quiet competition for Switzerland’s most spectacular skyline. One city is banking on pharmaceutical capital and star architects,

Winterthur puts the Schützi expansion to a public vote
On 27 September 2026, Winterthur will vote on a proposal to allocate 35.13 million Swiss francs for new end-stand stands and an operations building at the Schützenwiese. The development is intended to modernise the outdated infrastructure by 2029, increase capacity and ensure that matches can

Zurich will only begin to specifically assess council flats from 2028 onwards
In Zurich, 18.4 per cent of tenants in self-supporting council flats exceed the income thresholds. This affects around 1,400 out of approximately 7,700 flats. The city does not yet know which households are affected, as the figures are calculated anonymously. Individual checks are not planned until

Dietikon Is Reinventing Its Downtown
Arrive, transfer, leave. For decades, the Dietikon train station was a place for people to pass through quickly. Now, SBB and the city are joining forces to tackle a project that’s long been overdue. A sprawling transit hub is being transformed into an urban gateway to the city, featuring a new

Zurich’s Kirchland District to Make New Housing Available
Six smaller properties owned by the Reformed Church Parish of Zurich are to be leased under building rights. The parish is seeking organizations that will create additional housing on the sites at reasonable costs, while existing leases will continue for the time

Three projects make up the new center
Dietikon is experiencing a remarkable construction boom. Three projects in the city center symbolize this new era: the historic Krone site, the Löwenzentrum, and the Florahof. All three are located in close proximity to one another, and all three are permanently changing the face of the

The Limmat Valley Is Building Its Future
Six years of dialogue, two white papers, an architectural competition featuring six teams—and now the design plan is on the table. The Limmattal Energy Center (LEZ) is no longer just a promise. It is a project that will shape Dietikon and the Limmattal for generations to come. Anyone who wants to

Zurich Struggles with Regulations for City Apartments
In Zurich, 18.4 percent of the evaluable urban rental agreements exceed the income limit. This is above the permitted 15 percent threshold. However, immediate action is not required because the rent regulations are based on a three-year average, and a move is only required if the limit is

The City in the Village
For a long time, Urdorf was considered a quiet suburban community in the Limmat Valley. But anyone walking through the Nordquartier today can immediately sense that something is changing here. On a former industrial site, an urban living and working space is gradually taking shape—one that has

Zurich scraps the old rule on renting and buying
In the canton of Zurich, home ownership became even more expensive in the second quarter of 2026. At the same time, rents for existing apartments are falling slightly. As a result, buying is no longer automatically the better option. Those who stay in the same apartment for a long time often end up

Dietikon Is Building the School of the Future
Since 1969, a massive concrete cube has dominated the cityscape of Dietikon. Anyone walking past the Limmattal Education Center might at first glance see only postwar architecture. But the Canton of Zurich is spending 42 million francs to renovate this historic building and transform it into a

Winterthur Opposes the 2040 Land-Use Plan
A planning tool that sets out more than 100 policy objectives. A referendum committee that speaks of a “political straitjacket.” On November 29, 2026, Winterthur will decide at the polls how much leeway the city’s development should retain over the next 15 years. The referendum against the

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

Zurich Plans to Phase Out Natural Gas in the City Center
Zurich plans to decommission the gas distribution network between Hauptbahnhof and Bürkliplatz between 2033 and 2035, depending on the situation. This increases the pressure on approximately 500 buildings to switch their heating and cooking systems to the CoolCity lake water network or other

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
