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, while the other is focusing on pragmatic housing construction on the outskirts. Zurich, on the other hand, is holding itself back.

In March, the city council significantly scaled back the government’s proposed high-rise strategy, with an unusual alliance of the Left-Green Party and the SVP. In Schwamendingen, buildings will be limited to a height of 40 meters instead of 80 meters in the future; for 60-meter towers, the city council also requires a design plan. On September 27, voters will now decide on the matter, after the FDP, GLP, and the Center Party launched a referendum and the cantonal government reintroduced its original plans as a counterproposal.

Dübendorf continues to build undisturbed
Just a few kilometers to the east, the picture is completely different. In the Hochbord neighborhood, the “Three Point Towers” have created a cluster that has earned the area the nickname “Dübai.” At 103 to 113 meters, these are already the three tallest residential buildings in Switzerland, and another 85-meter-tall tower on the Ring is already in the planning stages.

Basel’s Skyscraper Boom
Basel holds the Swiss skyscraper record with the two Roche Towers, standing at 205 and 178 meters, and is likely to retain it for a long time to come. Since 2020, the city has had its own high-rise concept, which identifies sites near pharmaceutical companies, train stations, and development areas for new towers. The Grand Council is currently debating the Dreispitz Nord zoning plan, which includes three residential towers up to 151 meters tall; the relevant committee has already approved it unanimously, with only one abstention.

A Distinctive Style Shapes the Skyline
It’s noteworthy who is behind Basel’s largest projects. The Roche Towers, the planned buildings in Dreispitz Nord, and the Rosental Tower at Messeplatz—construction of which is set to begin soon—were all designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The plans for the future Rosental Mitte district near the Badischer Bahnhof also bear their signature, making Basel an increasingly prominent stage for these star architects.

Geneva Doesn’t Want to Be Left Behind
Until now, Geneva has played no role in the skyscraper rankings, but that is set to change. The government has approved a planning agreement for two towers, 170 and 175 meters tall, in the Praille-Acacias-Vernets area. An architectural competition is set to be announced in December, while Zurich has not even established its own framework yet for the controversial 137-meter towers on the Hardturm site.