News & Events: Study: How are Swiss Cities Densified? A New Study Looks at Switzerland’s Five Largest Urban Areas (25 June 2025)
What happens when cities densify their existing settlement area? A new study sheds light on how urban densification is implemented and its social implications.
By Fiona Kauer on Wed, Jun 25, 2025
In the report “Urban Densification and Displacement in Switzerland”—commissioned by the Federal Office for Housing (BWO)—we (Fiona Kauer, Elena Lutz, Dominic Büttiker, and David Kaufmann) investigate how densification is playing out in Switzerland’s five largest agglomerations: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zurich.
The study draws on linked registry data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, including building and population registers as well as income records. This data allowed us to track where and how densification is implemented and who is being affected by the process.
Densification looks different within and between agglomerations
One of the most striking findings is how differently densification plays out within the agglomeration. In the outer suburbs, many new homes are still being built on previously undeveloped land. But in central cities, the picture is different: old buildings are being torn down and replaced, industrial zones are transformed into residential neighborhoods, and vertical extensions are being added to existing structures.
Additionally, we also find differences between the agglomerations. While the City of Zurich tears down many buildings and replaces them with new ones, the City of Geneva focuses on vertical extensions of existing buildings.
What are the social impacts of urban densification?
Densification comes with trade-offs. The study offers numbers on displacement caused by housing demolitions and full renovations. In the Zurich agglomeration, more than 14,000 people—about 1% of the population—were displaced between 2015 and 2020. Geneva saw much lower numbers, with 467 people (0.08%) affected over the same period.
The people most likely to be displaced are those with lower incomes. Additionally, asylum seekers, recognized refugees, and individuals of African descent are also more likely to face displacement because of housing demolition or full renovations.