Building the future: four scenarios of how we could live in the Switzerland of tomorrow.

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    Switzerland is growing. It is expected to reach a population of around 10 million by 2035. While this presents some challenges, it also provides an opportunity to rethink how we can sustainably build, live, and shape our communities, while maintaining a high quality of life. That, in a nutshell, is the aim of our fourth 'From 0 to 100' mission.

    We present four scenarios that illustrate what building, housing and living in a growing Switzerland could look like in 2035. Some of it will feel familiar, while other aspects may seem new. Certain ideas will appeal to us, while others may challenge or even unsettle us. And that is entirely intentional. With these scenarios, we aim to inspire reflection. We are not offering blueprints or step-by-step guides, but rather a catalyst for imagination. Our goal is to encourage thinking beyond the here and now and to engage with questions such as: How should we address population growth in Switzerland, and what might societal, architectural, or technological developments look like?

    The scenarios are based on existing solutions, ideas and opinions of various Swiss experts. With the support of artificial intelligence, we aim to distil, sort, reorder and visualise current deliberations to inject new impetus and bring new perspectives. We view these ideas as windows of opportunity. There is no 'it has to be like this'. Instead, we are saying: ‘It could be like this.’

    Feeling inspired to help shape our future?

    Compact & regenerative – the city grows inwards

    Same area, more city, more nature. Switzerland's urban centres absorb most of the growth – through high-quality, sustainable inner-city development and managing space. This creates more living space without sealing more ground.

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    Polycentric & connected – the space of short distances

    More centres everywhere – new hubs in Switzerland: Small and medium-sized towns in Switzerland expand and absorb the growth. They become more urbanised and combine the best of both worlds: urban infrastructure and suburban rural quality of life. 

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    Super cities with green belts: cities and agglomerations grow (together)

    Grow big, stay green, build smarter: Switzerland's largest cities become super cities. Strategically selected open space is earmarked for construction – regenerative building, a socially integrative approach. A nature dividend compensates for the extra sealed land: this creates a cooling effect on the inside and a green ring on the outside.

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    Housing in motion – mobile Switzerland

    Housing becomes flexible: better distributed, temporally flexible, socially anchored. Housing will be more of a service in 2035: home is where it is needed – depending on a person's life situation. People move when their circumstances change. Service providers ensure seamless processes and optimal distribution; new construction only happens when matching and temporary use cannot offer a solution. 

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    More about our mission "Building. Housing. Living."

    Building the future, shaping lives.

    Are you wondering how we will live in the future, with the population growing rapidly? We have the answers.

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    This is how Switzerland wants to grow

    A representative population survey shows how the Swiss population feels about housing and densification and under what conditions it would accept change.

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    Call for ideas

    Do you have an idea to help Switzerland deal with population growth? Do you know what the city of the future should look like and how those living in it can have more than just a roof over their heads?

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