Large scale urban design

Switzerland - an urban portrait

An example of summarising and mapping information.

Exploring place identity

Switzerland – An Urban Portrait is a result of a four-year study by ETH Studio Basel that investigated the socio –economic and spatial profile of the country through a series of maps, plans, diagrams and images.

Over the course of the project 141 ETH students carried out 67 studies of sub-regions of Switzerland, to “create as clear a picture as possible of the actual state of urbanisation” across the country and “work out the hidden deficits, pressures and potentials behind it”.

The work is seen as not just creating a comprehensive evidence base but importantly as a stimulus for further thinking and design.

Various socio-economic and spatial data sets were mapped out and analysed, including:

Topography
Settlements structure / pattern
Density pattern
Predominant land use pattern
Economic activity centres
Economic growth and productivity (across new and old economic sectors)
Average income per capita
Commuter regions and pattern
Movement/transport network
Media coverage
Significant institutions, education, financial, international, VIPs
Cultural facilities, shopping centres
Forests, agricultural areas

One of the illustrations from the portrait of the Geneva-Lousanne sub-region maps its nationally and internationally renown institutions, corporate headquarters, schools, cultural institutions but also residences of its wealthy international clientele. This illustrates the fact that the area is an important research, financial and the centre of many international organisations, as well as rich and famous people’s playground and tax refuge - a place that those that have the choice, relocate to and stay in.

Further reading
www.studio-basel.arch.ethz.ch

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – One region, two catchment areas
© ETH Studio Basel

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – location of important institutions, headquarters, residents and facilities, contributing to the region’s reputation as an international ‘gold coast’, against the map showing the average income per capita by commune, 1992
© ETH Studio Basel

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – commuting pattern

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – transportation systems

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – built-up zones (land use and density)

Lake Geneva metropolitan region – local radio and newspaper catchment areas