sustainable “Neue Freistatt” housing project takes shape
The indicative project for the "Neue Freistatt" sustainable housing project in Freistatt Thun is ready. The project was further developed under the leadership of the winning team of the architectural competition and construction is scheduled to begin in 2025.
The “Neue Freistatt” sustainable housing project, designed by Brügger Architekten and Studio Vulkan Landschaftsarchitektur, is taking shape in Thun. The aim of the project is to develop the town centre to provide affordable living space for a broad section of the population. The plans include 260 flats, a post office, a neighbourhood centre with a café, a kindergarten and a daycare centre. The city of Thun and the property developers, GBWG Freistatt and the Municipal Pension Fund, have jointly honed the project over the past year, and the indicative project is now available, which will serve as the basis for the actual construction project.
The Municipal Pension Fund of Thun and GBWG Freistatt have agreed on the division. The pension fund will take over the buildings on Länggasse up to the Mattenstrasse-Länggasse roundabout, while GBWG Freistatt will take over the buildings along Jägerweg and all buildings on Mattenstrasse and out of town from the roundabout. Both parties are working closely together on the infrastructure, outdoor areas and car parks.
The urban development concept is based on a garden city idea with a high proportion of greenery, optimised routing and high ecological standards. . The buildings along Jägerweg and Länggasse emphasise the structure of the site. Four- to seven-storey buildings are planned here, allowing for different types of housing. A public open space between the buildings and the Lindenplatz square with a community centre form the heart of the “Neue Freistatt”.
During further development, the focus was placed on issues such as volume staggering, roof design and shading, whereby the building heights and shadows were deemed acceptable. A revised traffic concept rounds off the project. The referendum is scheduled for spring – summer 2024 and the start of construction is planned for 2025. Realisation will take place in three successive stages, with the first flats expected to be ready for occupancy from 2027. Interested parties can be kept up to date via the neuefreistatt.ch website.