Switzerland’s struggle: balancing architecture, densification and heritage

How to avoid "ugly" homes? Keystone / Ennio Leanza

In Switzerland, the issue of unsightly towns or buildings is rarely addressed directly. Yet, the effort to minimise architectural ugliness is a genuine concern for local authorities and planning specialists.

In France, the government has tackled the problem of “ugly France” by organising an annual competition, while Belgium has its own Instagram account showcasing “ugly Belgian houses.” Across Europe, entire landscapes are often marred by urban sprawl.

[instagram ugly houses]

In Switzerland, the issue is approached more discreetly, with a few exceptions. One such instance was a 2018 competition by the Swiss boulevard newspaper 20 MinutesExternal link, which named a tower block in Zurich as the ugliest house. A building in Renens, in canton Vaud, the first from French-speaking Switzerland, placed eighth.

The Renens building ranked as one of the ugliest houses in Switzerland in 2018. RTS

When the Renens building was constructed, it was both praised by architects and opposed by the local community. However, Marc Frochaux, architect and editor-in-chief of Tracés magazine, believes it would be too simplistic to attribute such opinions merely to “tastes and colours.”

Evolving standards of beauty

Today, while grey concrete factories, motorways, and car parks are widely considered unattractive, and the cobbled streets of old towns are deemed beautiful, opinions on the aesthetics of modern architecture remain divided, with no one willing to single out aesthetic failings.

The Bel-Air tower in Lausanne. RTS

There was a time when fewer questions were asked. In 1906, the predecessor of the Swiss Heritage organisation was called the “League for Beauty” and did not hesitate to highlight good and bad architectural examples. However, this approach has not withstood the test of time, as standards of beauty have evolved.

For instance, in 1931, the League for Beauty opposed the construction of the Bel-Air tower in Lausanne. Today, Swiss Heritage praises it. Other once-controversial buildings in French-speaking Switzerland, such as the Avanchets and Lignon housing estates in Geneva, the Palais des Congrès in Biel, and Place Chauderon in Lausanne, are now protected as historical landmarks.

Can densification be aesthetically pleasing?

A new challenge to the beauty of the built environment is densification. For the past decade, legislation has mandated building within existing towns and villages, posing significant challenges for local authorities, who must now arrange new buildings in increasingly confined spaces.

Spatial planning experts are acutely aware of these challenges, as discussed during a seminar organised in May by the EspaceSuisse association at Château de Monthey, in canton Valais with municipal representatives from across French-speaking Switzerland.

For EspaceSuisse, Monthey serves as a model. Notable achievements include the Maison Blanche park, where authorities preserved a green space in the heart of the town. They have also redeveloped pedestrian walkways, limited traffic, and introduced more greenery to certain streets.

Nature as a refuge

Cynthia Roulin, head of the town planning department in Aigle, in canton Vaud, aims to draw inspiration from Monthey to enhance her own town by creating a genuine 21st-century heritage. Central to this project is the redevelopment of the Place du Marché, currently used as a car park.

The project to redevelop the Place du Marché in Aigle. Keystone-SDA

An initial proposal suggested creating a pedestrian zone with water features and over 40 trees. However, this was rejected by the public in April, who deemed the CHF10 million ($12 million) cost too high and opposed the reduction of parking spaces. The city will now have to devise a different, more affordable plan.

From decrepit houses to dilapidated blocks of flats dating from the 1960s, ‘ugly’ buildings abound in Switzerland. Yet, they sometimes exist in areas where life is still enjoyable. The battle to beautify Switzerland continues, and while we may never agree on a universal definition of beauty or ugliness, our natural landscapes will always provide common ground.

Translated from French with DeepL/amva