Wohnen fürs Wohnen: Swiss Housing Cooperatives as a Laboratory for Coexistence
Opening: 28/11/2025, 7 PM
A cooperation between S AM and the Association of Housing Cooperatives Northwestern Switzerland.
Basel was one of the early centers of cooperative housing in Switzerland. Projects such as the Freidorf in Muttenz and the housing estates by Hans Bernoulli remain landmark examples from the interwar period. Later developments, like the Entenweid high-rise apartments and the Vogelbach estate in Riehen, also introduced important architectural and social innovations. Yet despite this legacy, cooperative housing plays only a minor role in the public perception of Basel. This exhibition at S AM sheds light on this often-overlooked history and expands the focus to the entire region of Northwestern Switzerland — marking the 100th anniversary of the Association of Housing Cooperatives Northwestern Switzerland. The exhibition also highlights how cooperative models continue to offer innovative responses to today’s housing challenges, such as in the new developments Erlenmatt Ost, Lysbüchel Süd, Westfeld and other projects from across Switzerland.
Curated by: Anaïs Auprêtre de Lagenes, Andreas Ruby
Publication: S AM Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum, Anaïs Auprêtre de Lagenest, Andreas Ruby (Hg. / Eds.): Wohnen fürs Wohnen.
Christoph Merian Verlag, ISBN 978-3-03969-051-0, 248 Seiten
Cooperative housing advice:
During the exhibition, representatives of regional housing cooperatives and non-profit housing developers will be offering free cooperative housing advice. The experts will be taking turns to set up their office directly in the exhibition and will be available for personal consultations. For up-to-date information on the presence of the individual cooperatives in the museum, click: here
Picture: © Barbara Bühler
Exhibition flyer: here
Press material: here
The exhibition ‘Wohnen fürs Wohnen: Swiss Housing Cooperatives as a Laboratory for Coexistence’ is supported by:
Cooperation Partner:
Wohnbaugenossenschaften Nordwestschweiz
Program Partners:
Stiftung Edith Maryon
Stiftung Habitat
Kantons- und Stadtentwicklung Kanton Basel-Stadt
Supporters:
Wohnbaugenossenschaften Schweiz
GGG Basel
Designbutik
Supporters Installation Hallenwohnen:
Verein züdwollke_HallenWohnKultur_zollhaus
Enzmann Fischer Partner AG
ffbk Architekten AG
HKP Bauingenieure AG
Stadtentwicklung Zürich
Genossenschaft Kalkbreite
Blättler Holzbau GmbH
Kästli & Co. AG
G. BAUMGARTNER AG
Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure
VRENT.CH
SAM Supporters:
Kanton Basel-Stadt
Bundesamt für Kultur BAK
Christoph Merian Stiftung
Beisheim Stiftung
Sulger-Stiftung
S AM Sponsors:
ComputerWorks AG
Marti AG Basel
HIAG
S AM Partners:
Dr. Levante GmbH & Co.KG
Karl Bubenhofer AG
Gremper AG
