Classic Wakker Tour

Winner of the 2016 Wakker Prize.

A sustainable approach to the city center and historic buildings is just one reason for the award. The jury also praised the urban development strategy in the outlying neighborhoods and the collaboration with the German sister city. 

Visit modern buildings and the historic old town. Learn more about the land-use plan and the recreational areas along the Rhine.

The Patio Development by Mergenthaler AG.

One of the award-winning buildings that played a key role in securing the prize is the development on the former site of Mergenthaler AG’s construction division. According to the jury, architect Lea Mergenthaler excellently fulfilled her mandate to “find a form of housing that works for young and old, offers the qualities of a single-family home, and is committed to high-density construction.” 

Visit the development and learn more about the three buildings.

The Wakker Prize from Swiss Heritage.

Every year, Swiss Heritageawards the Wakker Prize to a Swiss municipality. The prize money amounts to CHF 20,000 and is largely symbolic in nature. The value of the award lies in the public recognition of exemplary achievement. The Wakker Prize was first made possible in 1972 through a bequest to Swiss Heritage by the Geneva businessman Henri-Louis Wakker. 

The Wakker Prize honors municipalities that have demonstrated exceptional achievements in the preservation of their built environment and urban development. 

Swiss Heritage Society