A wave of monotonous residential blocks in muted earth tones is transforming Bern's urban landscape, raising questions about architectural creativity in an era of increasing environmental and financial constraints. From the Wifag area to Warmbächli, Tiefenau district to Wankdorf City 3, new developments across the Swiss capital seem to follow an identical playbook of horizontal window bands, stacked balconies, and subdued colors ranging from pastel mud-green to what locals mockingly call "flesh-colored cheese" tones.
Architect Christopher Berger, whose firm B realized the residential development on Reichenbachstrasse 118 in the Tiefenau district, explains that this homogenization stems from increasingly restrictive project requirements. "We live in an ever more standardized world. This also applies to construction," Berger said. When architectural firms participate in project competitions, they automatically enter into a contractual relationship where clients set specific programs for particular locations, severely limiting creative freedom.
The constraints go far beyond basic building requirements. Stricter environmental standards now heavily influence material choices, with architects gravitating toward similar sustainable building materials to meet ecological benchmarks. Wood, for instance, has a much better environmental footprint than most mineral materials, leading many firms to favor lightweight materials like corrugated fiber cement panels, which were used in the Warmbächli development. These materials create a distinctly uniform aesthetic across projects.
Beyond environmental considerations, architects face mounting pressure from multiple stakeholders with competing demands. Clients want to enable affordable housing while using recyclable materials, all while staying within tight budgets. Investors increasingly market themselves with environmental labels that have become key selling points. "The goals pursued by developers with new construction are becoming increasingly demanding," Berger noted.
Legal building codes add another layer of restriction, with regulations dictating maximum heights, lengths, and other police-architectural measurements that further constrain design possibilities. These combined pressures create a narrow corridor of acceptable solutions, pushing architects toward similar aesthetic outcomes regardless of their individual creative vision.
However, some projects demonstrate that bolder approaches remain possible under the right circumstances. The Werk 11 wooden construction in Biel features street-facing galleries and prominent porthole windows, achieving a more distinctive appearance. This project's success stemmed from an unusual arrangement where the architects also served as the developers, giving them greater creative control over the final design.
This phenomenon of architectural uniformity isn't entirely new. As early as 1889, Austrian urban planner Camillo Sitte wrote that "the modern city builder has become frighteningly poor in the motifs of his art. The straight row of houses, the cube-shaped building block is all he can offer against the richness of the past."
Berger acknowledges that building phases with similar aesthetics occur cyclically, but he's observing signs of change in the industry. He believes that the controversial Burgernziel development, mockingly nicknamed "flesh cheese" by locals, would be approached entirely differently if proposed today. More than ten years ago, a competition decided on new construction for that site, but contemporary planners would more likely ask: "How can we work with existing buildings?"
This shift toward renovation and adaptive reuse represents a significant change in architectural thinking. Working with existing structures, rather than building from scratch, has become much more prevalent than it was several years ago. Berger's firm doesn't view this as a hindrance but rather as inspiration for new design approaches. "It's becoming more lively," he said, noting the emergence of different approaches and formal languages alongside the prevalence of residential blocks.
The trend toward preserving and adapting existing buildings reflects broader environmental consciousness and resource conservation efforts. Rather than demolishing and rebuilding, architects are increasingly challenged to find creative solutions within existing frameworks, potentially leading to more diverse and contextually sensitive urban development.
Despite current constraints, Berger remains optimistic about the future of architectural diversity in Bern. While standardization continues to shape much of the city's new development, emerging alternative approaches suggest that the era of uniform residential blocks may eventually give way to more varied and creative urban architecture.
