Winterthur: Axa AST expands «Unteres Bühl» development by 80 apartments
The building permit for the renovation and expansion of the 300-apartment development in Oberwinterthur has been granted. Construction work on the phased implementation is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2027, with the tenants remaining in their apartments during the work.
The «Unteres Bühl» development on Talackerstrasse/Römerstrasse in Oberwinterthur is being renovated and extended. The client is the Axa Investment Foundation, with BNP Paribas Asset Management managing the project. The responsible authority has approved the planning application; construction is set to begin in early 2027. According to the project website, construction will take around four years and take place in stages.
Built in three stages between 1974 and 1990, the estate comprises around 300 apartments. Some of the properties were renovated in 2015, while others are still largely in their original condition - the depth of intervention varies accordingly from building to building. Winterthur City Council placed the estate under protection in November 2025; the object of protection is the entire complex with the exterior design from the construction period as well as the façades, roofs and building structures of the high-rise buildings, finger buildings and porter's lodge. The refurbishment is taking place in an inhabited state and the tenants were involved at an early stage.
Two new buildings and extensions
In addition to the refurbishment, 80 additional apartments are being built - mainly barrier-free small apartments with 1.5 to 2.5 rooms. The estate is being expanded with extensions in certain areas and two new buildings are also being constructed. According to the project website, the most striking of these is a six-storey building on the corner of Talackerstrasse and Römerstrasse, which will accommodate public uses on the first floor and a commercial space to the north; the upper floors will mainly house 1.5-room apartments with flexible floor plans and 3.5-room apartments. The first floor of the new buildings will also provide space for residential studios and other communal uses. The single-storey pavilion in the center of the development is intended for public use - conceivably as a daycare center, for example.
Link to open space concept from the 1970s
The architect is Bernath+Widmer from Zurich, whose design «Continuum» emerged as the winner of a cooperative process in 2022; the indicative project dates from 2023. The outdoor space is being designed by the Zurich office ghiggi paesaggi. The guiding principle is Fred Eicher's existing open space concept from the 1970s with its flowing green spaces; the park with niches, playgrounds and recreational areas will be retained, while a greater variety of plants will strengthen biodiversity. The tenants were able to contribute ideas for the design of the outdoor space at a workshop.
BNP Paribas Asset Management now manages the real estate portfolios of Axa Life, Axa Insurance, Axa Investment Foundation and Axa Real Estate Fund Switzerland in Switzerland. In Switzerland, BNPP AM will continue to operate under the name Axa Investment Managers Schweiz AG, which it recently acquired, until mid-2026. (aw)
