Living 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. 

Living spaces adapt to the requirements of life. We are becoming modern nomads, with flat hunting, renovations and relocations all handled by digital matching and service platforms. Corporate housing, seasonal districts and micro-living are becoming the new normal. Communal spaces and shared services ensure social connection and a sense of belonging. They also save space. And money. New, more flexible working models complement this perfectly and make living even more flexible. In return for a better quality of life, the average living area falls to 37–42 m² per person, offering fewer vacancies, enhanced flexibility and new perspectives.

What it might look like

In 2035, we will become mobile. What about living as a customised service? Has your youngest child just left home? Or are you thinking about starting a family? An app will suggest the perfect flat for your current living situation. It could be somewhere closer to your workplace, with or without a child's room — or even a bookable guest room. Sounds good? But what about the stress of moving? What stress? A residential concierge can organise viewings, exchanges and removals in just two weeks.

You’re a single retiree with a granny flat that’s only used occasionally? The housing service can help with that, too, by finding students to rent a room in your property on a semester-by-semester basis, as fully fledged flatmates. Companies provide corporate housing, clinics reserve studios for care staff, and training companies provide accommodation for apprentices. Everything runs smoothly.

Digital platforms coordinate space and optimise distribution. In winter, some people prefer to live in urban flats with optimal infrastructure, while in summer, they prefer to spend time in cooler areas such as the countryside or mountains. For others, it's exactly the opposite. This is equally possible thanks to new modular neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods are built using the circular construction method, are energy self-sufficient, and can accommodate holiday guests, families, project teams, or nursing staff. Flexibility trumps ownership.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the activity, communal areas – such as coworking spaces, cultural pavilions and repair cafés – encourage interaction and socialising. Intergenerational living fosters a sense of solidarity: older people give up some of their space and younger people move in temporarily, providing support when needed.

In tomorrow's mobile Switzerland, apartment swaps and moving will be straightforward and reliable. Everything is temporary; you simply move on to whatever suits your current life stage. There is no downside. In fact, there are a lot of upsides. In terms of space, time, money, social contacts, and new perspectives.

More future scenarios

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

_{The visualisations shown were created using artificial intelligence. They are based on technical input from experts, studies and spatial planning and urban development principles. This content was translated into precise prompts and the AI results were repeatedly checked, evaluated and refined to ensure factually plausible and visually coherent representations. The visualisations are deliberately designed to stimulate thought. They show possible future scenarios, not concrete construction plans or instructions for action. The aim is to open up new perspectives on a growing Switzerland and stimulate discussion about sustainable, liveable and communal building, housing and living.}

_{Platforms used: Veo 3.1, Nano Banana, Midjourney
Implementation partner: 2erpack Identity, Behruz Tschaitschian & Veronika Kieneke}