This is why the Star agreed to an architect for the urban sprawl initiative

architects need to land. You have to fight for a stop to the building zones. Why are you acting against your interests?
I don't think I do. That would be a maximum then, if one understands to Build the profession of the architect as a mere"". Being an architect means to me: the environment, the build, the right build.

And what means "good build"?
Less with money and more with real work. I'll give you an example. I grew up in a farmhouse. It was a simple, very old building. But it was optimally aligned to the sun's daily cycle. Its balconies offered protection from Wind, snow and rain. It is Build this way, which fascinated me: to Build, in dialogue with the landscape, with the history of the place and with the seasons. The ability to build as we got more and more lost. When I think on these fully ventilated and air-conditioned office buildings: It locks the times of the year, making the summer to Winter and Vice versa ...

the urban sprawl initiative, to give the estimated values more validity?
For me, this Initiative is primarily an Instrument for the protection of the city. The initiators it comes to landscape and nature. This is important, but to me the city is located primarily on the heart. The city – the European city, to be exact – is the most beautiful, smartest, most flexible and most cultured of all human Community. I know of no other man-made model, which is not so good.

Video: drone flight – here the urban sprawl of Switzerland is visible

Unnecessary or overdue? The urban sprawl initiative on the basis of the two places explains. Video: Lea Koch and Adrian Panholzer

the cities are threatened?
for Centuries, a wonderfully clear structure was the European city: they had a center, and you had a limit. Today, the religious and civil centres have lost their importance. But, above all, have dissolved the city limits. The result of our sprawling suburbs, all of shocking sadness. It values, give rise to a right to Housing are missing there. This development, we should stop. By protecting the landscape, limit, and we consolidate the Built-up.

We can be hard to build again the city walls.
nobody wants That. I want to call awareness of that with the elimination of the city limits of the values of city life are lost. It is now to create new values.

What are you thinking about there?
For me, it is clear that intelligent urban planning means in the future, above all: Build on the already-Built. This also makes economic sense. Who will build there, where is already built, has transport connections, electricity connections and so on.

Yes, It is possible that Rents would rise.Mario Botta

you will love the cities, to abhor, but the suburbs ...
I always wonder: How can you build such a rich country like Switzerland such an ugly, sad suburbs? Take the Scairolo plain, here, South of Lugano: it was incredibly spoiled in the past 30 years, and this is always in complete Accordance with the laws and with a strong tacit consensus of our Generation. The Scairolo-level is really what we want to leave our children a legacy behind?

Meanwhile, we have a better spatial planning act. It zonungen of land.
This law certainly does not hurt. But it is not enough. It is said that the urban sprawl initiative is radical. But you also said, as the Federal government was once the forest under protection. Some of the landowners of the world cried. In the meantime, the forest is accepted protection.

your industry associations are opposed to the Initiative.
The good architects that I know, support the Initiative. It is especially the construction and investors lobby against us. I am under no illusions. The force ratio is ten to one against us. They will crush. It is a matter that we are sending with this Initiative a Signal. It must be clear that we have a Problem in the quality of life. In a democracy, it needs also the voice of the minority. In the light of our environmental problems, we must not pinch, everyone is affected.

It is an interesting fact, that where the climate is tougher, smarter, is built.Mario Botta

A Problem could be increasing Rents, if there is still a Yes.
It is possible that this would happen.

you do not see a Problem, if it would be Poorer then?
no, we need to just properly react to it. It will be necessary to promote housing for the less affluent. But we must be aware that cities are a Good that costs something. They did this throughout their thousand year history. But you are a Good and a right, of which each and everyone can benefit.

What is the Swiss Town you particularly value?
Bern. I have been impressed by how the geography is integrated in the built-up city. The old town is wonderful. The new town don't like me, but it has been kept in a forward-looking way to distance to the old town. Bern has a very high quality of life.

there Are also modern cities like them?
most likely in the North. I have seen very beautiful modern cities in Finland and in Holland. There, I don't want to live. But it is an interesting fact, that where the climate is tougher, smarter, is built.

politicians are a Menschenlag, I don't understand.Mario Botta

Switzerland is a country of immigration, soon could live here for 10 or 11 million people. There is space for all of them?
no. This is a Problem. We are only at the beginning of a development. On the continent of Africa a demo is ticking graphic bomb.

you Must limit the immigration?
Probably, Yes. But you have to help the people there. I have no solution. Finally, everyone has the right to escape war or to search a piece of luck. Migration has already happened in biblical times, it belongs to the history of mankind. Here, the politicians would be required. Unfortunately, it seems to me that with these big problems, small minds working, without a global perspective.

you are politically very active. Could you imagine, to run for office?
no, no. (laughs) My work is to me professional enough. And politics I will never understand. I can think of in a musician, a sculptor and a painter, but a politician is a person that I don't understand. And I don't mean to be disrespectful.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 30.01.2019, 20:53 PM