Handbook from the Working Group on Soco-ecological Building Transformation
High-quality housing densification means overcoming major social and environmental challenges. How can this be achieved? We are compiling a handbook on this topic, which will be published by Edition Hochparterre in early summer 2026.
It brings together specific areas of action: Why does staged development help with socio-ecological densification? How can an inhabited construction site be organised? How can tenants be supported throughout the process? What questions arise when it comes to the fair distribution of living space? How are rents calculated and how can these models be further developed?
In addition, there are essays focusing on urban planning, the role of land prices, historical classifications of political initiatives, and discussions about property. This makes the handbook interdisciplinary and accessible to those interested in architecture, urban planning, socioculture, cooperatives, real estate, politics, city administrations, and property owners.
This book is the result of a working group of around 50 experts who have been meeting regularly since 2023 to identify and refine areas for action based on concrete examples from practice. To ensure that these concerns are heard, we are also relying on broad funding, which can be supported by this crowdfunding campaign, among other things.
Contributors: Antonia Steger (Urban Equipe), Luisa Gehriger (Postdoc ETH Wohnforum), Rebecca Geyer (büro vor ort), Andreas Haug (baubüro in situ), Salome Rohner (ETH Wohnforum + Bureau Giacometti), Sabina Ruff (Laboratorium für Zukunftsgestaltung), Yarin Shmerling (Bureau Giacometti + büro vor ort), Lian Stähelin (ZAS* + squadra), Aline Suter (Caritas Zurich), Sabeth Tödtli (Urban Equipe), Sabine Wolf (Thiesen & Wolf)