client: city of Bern, 5 municipalities of the Bern agglomeration, Canton of Berne
team: Güller Güller architecture urbanism, synergo (Walter Schenkel), DEGW (London), AIR (Rotterdam)

The elaboration of a regional ‘Highrise strategy’ is one of the first inter-communal project in the region of Berne, that has been launched in the context of a political process leading to the consolidation of the Region of Berne. The regional ‘Highrise strategy’ distinguishes key-areas in the region of Berne, which are more suitable and qualified for highrise than others. The definition of a so-called ‘perimeter of possibility’ is based on the specific character of the different quarters of the urban area and their specific infrastructural, socio-economic and landscape features.

To steer and control the quality of the individual highrise-projects a manual has been developed: it lines out the minimal-standards for urban integration, the quality of the building as well as the participatory process with the local/regional authorities and the public. The manual and the ‘perimeter of possibility’ have been accepted in public consultation and are being applied since spring 2008.