Students:  Joni Kaçani and Sara Nigg

The idyllic Thuner- and Brienzersee south of the Napf region between the rather unknown Emmengruppe in the north and the Alps with some of the most attractive tourism destinations of Switzerland are an uneven pair. The Brienzersee is followed by parallel Mountain ridges leaving only a thin stripe along the shore for the moderate growth of holiday homes. The Thunersee is hit by perpendicular mountain ridges and characterized by tourism concentrating on Interlaken and the northern shore as well as the more industrial cities of Thun and Spiez on one of the most important north-south train connections through Switzerland. Looking at the existing flows of commuters and the variety of programs  the group proposed a new reading of the two lakes, with the Lake of Thun as a Lake-City connected by new water transport and punctual densification around the boat-stops and train stations with man made and thus protected landscape stripes in between, and the Brienzer See as its Landscape-counterpoint where no further construction is possible.

Thun Lake City

 Analysis programatic focus of the existing settlements

 Detail Plan Lakefront densification and man made parks around Spiez