Urbanscape Switzerland. Topology and Regional Development in Switzerland: Investigations and Case Studies

The present studies focus on the changing regional-spatial structure of Switzerland. When describing contemporary settlement structures, it is becoming increasingly necessary to dispense with the categories of "town" and "country": we live in a collage of urban, suburban and rural elements which, together, form a dense multi-core patchwork of different agglomerations. This development presents Switzerland with a number of difficult political problems and new political solutions need to be found, challenging the institutional framework of federalism and the concept of local government
Commissioned by the foundation 'Avenir Suisse' (Think Tank for Economic and Social Issues), this publication gathers contributions by experts from the fields of sociology, geography, politics, economics, which take into account the various perspectives. The Dutch architect Winy Maas from MVRDV presents as an outsider a qualified vision for a Switzerland of the future, and also provides visual material to illustrate other contributions. Whilst focusing on Switzerland as a case study, this book is a thought-provoking report on the gradual changes taking place in industrialised countries, and the conclusions which are drawn need not be limited to Switzerland.

 
CONTENTS

Introduction 
01. Urbanscape Switzerland

I. Photography
Wallisellen, Renens, Spreitenbach, Ligornetto, Gaggiolo, Yverdon-les-Bains, Monte Ceneri, Emmenbrucke, Schweizerhalle, Vevey, Bussigny, Glattbrugg
by Joel Tettamanti

I. MVRDV on Switzerland
02. Where is Switzerland? Borders and Regions

I. Case Studies, Transcriptions 
03. Discourse on the Spatial-Functional Form and Political-Structural Development of Urbanscape Switzerland
by Hansjorg Blochliger, Ernst A. Brugger, Angelus Eisinger, Renzo Fagetti, Rene L. Frey, Thomas Held, Franz Marty and Georg Tobler
04. Transport and Accessibility
by Remo Steinmetz and Peter Keller

II. Photography
Frinvillier, Lonay, Eschenbach, Chur, Sankt Moritz, Spreitenbach, Ostermundingen, Petit-Lancy, Vevey, Yverdon-Les-Bains, Chavannes, Zurich-Kloten, Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg
by Joel Tettamanti

II. Case Studies, Transcriptions 
05. The Leman Metropolis. 
The Metropolisation of the Leman Crescent
by Michel Bassand, Lena Poschet and Sebastien Wust
06. RegioTriRhena. 
On the Way to Becoming a Trinational Metropolis
by Christian J. Haefliger, Jacques Herzog and Christoph Koellreuter
07. Triangolo insubrico.
The Development of a Cross-Border City Network in the Milan Catchment Area
by Angelo Rossi and Gian Paolo Torricelli

III. Photography
Zurich, Yverdon-Les-Bains,Monte Generoso, Sankt Moritz,Niederwangen, Grosser Sankt, Bernhard, Marmorera/Sur, Holzhausern, Spreitenbach, Balerna/Bisio
by Joel Tettamanti

II. MVRDV on Switzerland
08. What is Switzerland? Trends in Land Use and Density

III. Case Studies, Transcriptions 
09. Zurich/Limmattal. 
Shadow City. Urbanistic Exploration in the Limmattal 
by Michael Koch, Martin Schroder, Maresa Schumacher and Christian Schubarth
10. Zurich/Glattal. 
City of Regions, Glattal-Stadt as an Area of Complex Institutional Levels Needs Reforms
by Alain Thierstein, Thomas Held and Simone Gabi
11. The Swiss Mittelland.
Considerations for Renewing its Urbanity and Evaluating Possible Starting Points
by Franz Oswald

III. MVRDV on Switzerland
12. What could Switzerland become? Scenarios and Project Proposals
by MVRDV

Synthesis
13. Synthesis
Challenges and Perspectives for Development in Urbanscape Switzerland 
by Angelus Eisinger


ABOUT THE EDITORS:
Angelus Eisinger teaches at the Department of Architecture at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. 
Michael Schneider is the project leader at 'Avenir Suisse'.