Housing New living space through densification often comes at the expense of poorer people
According to an ETH study, densification contributes to the creation of new apartments in urban areas. However, if demolition and new construction are carried out and tenants have to make way, low-income households are affected more often than average.
24.06.2025, 09:00
SDA
The study by the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group at ETH Zurich examined the five largest agglomerations in Switzerland: Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lausanne and Geneva. It was presented to the media on Tuesday by the Federal Office for Housing (BWO).
In the last twenty years, hardly any greenfield sites have been built in cities. New apartments have been built primarily in replacement buildings and by adding storeys and converting industrial sites. Industrial sites had potential: depending on the agglomeration, they accounted for up to 63 percent of new buildings.
The number of tenants who had to move due to a replacement building or total conversion also varied from agglomeration to agglomeration. Households with relatively low incomes were often displaced.
