I am alone is dis-liking intensely the trend to come up with square box designs for residential housing? Don't they have any rules here relating to developments that are in keeping with the sorrounding properties?

They are developing new house estate up the road from me, and it looks like it was designed using lego duplo blocks, grey ones!!

Historical buildings and old parts of town enjoy more protection.

However, all building plans have to be announced at the municipality where they are accessible to the public.

Square box designed buildings don't block views as much as traditional roofs. They also allow more of the property to be used such as flat roof terraces and with land costing so much they enable a bigger house to be built within the height restrictions.

My house has a 2 storey height restriction, but by putting a flat roof and a glass wintergarden on top you can now use the roof. Having a traditional roof just wouldn't pass planning when it would block lake/mountain views. There are also restrictions that certain points of interest should remain visible around Zug.

Buildings here are made of those grey concrete blocks. They can withstand the many earthquakes too.

I don't know the technicallities of the rules, but the poles that are put up in advance of building to show the height seem to be a good idea. At least people should get a better idea of the size of a building, if not its appearance.

I think that new buildings should be sympathetic to their surroundings. It is not always necessary to duplicate old buildings except in some conservation areas. Modern design and innovation should be allowed along with maintaining tradition.

I am in favour of keeping regional distinctiveness. This has just about been lost in the UK with new housing developments all looking the same.

One example of mixing old and new that I approve of is the extension to the Dolder Grand Hotel above Zurich. It is clearly modern but does not detract from the original.

Personally I don't think the square box structures you talk about are any worse than the hideous identikit Barratt houses and McMansions that get built in the UK or the US. I actually think the general level of design of modern housing in Switzerland is on a par or better than what you'll find in most other countries. And unlike most of those countries, the buildings here actually work


And wandering round the ancient heart of the little villages round us, I'm actually amazed that the Swiss have been able to preserve so much of their history compared with the towns and villages that I'm familiar with in the UK

I hate concrete boxes. Ugly as sin. (IMHO. )

Try finding an architect who will build anything else, though.

We wanted to build a peaked-roof, traditional farmhouse. "Nicht im Trend!" was all we heard when architect-shopping. We gave up, and have postponed our building plans while we look for an architect and building firm from Germany or Austria.

There is an easy answer to that one, they didn't have the Luftwaffe burn their towns / villages to the ground in the '40s.

I've mentioned the Soviet Central Planning building style that seems to be so loved out here to my Swiss mates, and they basically say that it gets the most properties into the smallest amount of space for the least money, and sod the aesthetics. The basic policy seems to be: "Build something eye-scorchingly ugly out of 30 cm thick reinforced concrete, and then try desperately to get climbing plants to cover the offense to the senses." Hence the sad looking, straggly creepers hanging off Stadelhofen Bhf. and other butt-ugly buildings. They also said that influence (der Filz) and money can get round most planner's objections to your building, hence the line-up along the Mythenquai:

Beautiful late 1800's building, Beautiful late 1800's building, Beautiful late 1800's building, Bunker, Shed, Bomb shelter, Beautiful late 1800's building, Multi-storey car park, Bunker, Beautiful late 1800's building.

Anyone else got a Swiss architectural eyesore they want to nominate for the Hall of Shame? I nominate the incinerator complex just south of Wetzikon which can be seen from miles in every direction. Fair enough, incinerators are not going to be beautiful, but why paint liver coloured stripes on it?

The sinister, looming concrete tower on the approach by rail to the Zürich HB is another corker, as are those yellow and orange, egg-crate blocks of flats.

Cheers

Jim

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Apparently Bahnhof Stadelhofen is revered for its architecture having been built by the famous architect, Santiago Calatrava, so don't be too upset if they start trimming back the greenery to avoid covering up his work.

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildi...way_Stati.html

I quite like most of the modern (and old, for that matter) architecture around the city. The exception, for me, has to be anything covered in that dreadful bronze cladding (such as Coop in Bärengasse). Definitely not a good idea.

Swiss archtecture - because it's easier to design cubes.

Cool beans. I've always quite liked Stadelhofen but didn't know anyone else considered it remarkable... thought maybe I was just being a rube Midwesterner.

In many countries there are restrictions on the type of eyesore you are allowed to throw up. Strict rules about style of roof etc. keeping close to tradition and neighbouring buildings. It leads to a harmonious interchange between the old and new. Here it's the parody of bare concrete bunkers that cost a bomb being thrown up on beautiful hillsides, as if to cause pain to anyone who has any sensitivity. And those flat rooves look great from uphill... your eye wanders over the horizon and then down to what looks like neglected industrial yards. With the ocasional sun chair and table abandoned in the middle. Who would sit there in those surroundings? But I do agree, these buildings are great mould factories-inside and out.

But, as someone already mentioned earlier in the thread, it is quite easy to object to newbuilds or renovations. The plans are publically available and for those too lazy to get down and see what's what, they even put up perimeter masts of the building onsite so you can see what the building will look like and is likely to do to your view.

Believe me there are plenty of buildings in Zurich tied up in battles with people wanting to stop or change them.

It is quite funny to have a beautiful apartment (on the inside), that seems to have been bolted onto the top of a 5 story office building and covered in green plastic panels and automated blinds.

And my office at Technopark is a monstrosity. But both places are quite functional.

fduvall

It is normal to be able to object, but judging by what is allowed to go up, your objection may have no basis in law.

Or the people who don't like it didn't complain when they had the chance?

Unless it is "Denkmalschutz" I don't think the design of the building is grounds for objection. Complaining because "it's ugly" would be difficult to carry through.

What about the people who think it is good looking? It's all a bit subjective.

Complaining because it blocks your view of the lake/mountains/naked sunbathing area could be considered, however.

some of those cube houses are quite amazing, look at these found in the Czech Republic.
Do we have them in CH ? and for designing these ... just as CD said ...

Sounds like Vaduz.

Isn't part of the problem architects? Modern buildings can look good if they fit in and are sympathetic with their surroundings. But I think a lot of architects are more interested in spotlighting themselves and the best way to do this is to design something controversial which sticks out from it's neighbours like a sore thumb. Architects have also become slaves to computers. It's surely no coincidence a lot of these buildings look like they've been designed by one.

I rather like some of the houses around Vaduz, especialy some of the modern prefab ones, much better than boring old style houses.

Come to think of it it's the same with cars. Designed and build by computers. That's why they all look the same. These days behind every designer is a software programmer.