Construction Heritage and Preservation

"Vielfalt ist unser Erbe – La diversité est notre patrimoine – La diversità è il nostro patrimonio" is a campaign developed for the 60th anniversary of ICOMOS Suisse by students of the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich. The campaign was created as part of an academic design research project and further developed for implementation by the Chair of Construction Heritage and Preservation. The project explores ways to communicate building culture to a broader public and demonstrate its essential role in everyday life. Drawing from Switzerland's linguistic and cultural diversity, the campaign pairs architectural works from different regions with terms from national languages and dialects. Language and architecture are presented as parallel cultural expressions shaped by history, geography, and identity. Rather than portraying heritage conservation as restriction, the campaign presents it as the recognition of cultural diversity as a shared legacy. The campaign was first produced as a postcard set for the general assembly of ICOMOS Suisse and now consists of a modular series of posters, postcards, and digital applications. Campaign Design (Vertiefungsarbeit HS 2025) Anna Maria Essig, Jos Auf der Maur, José Häni Ivorra, Leandro Gregorio, Timothy Furrer Campaign Development Silke Langenberg, Rolf Imseng Project Partner ICOMOS Suisse Graphic Consultation Ivan Sterzinger, Huber/Sterzinger Print Gremper AG Image Credits Bundeshaus, Bern — Ank Kumar Casa Portico, Moghegno — Zeljko Gataric Cathédrale de Lausanne, Lausanne — Dominik Gehl Chesa Sulai, S-chanf — Zeljko Gataric Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, Mogno — Wikimedia Commons, User: Monster4711 (CC) Église St. Nicolas, Hérémence — Rolf Imseng Haus Alder, Zürich — Valentin Jeck Jesuitenkirche, Luzern — AURA / Luzern Tourismus Kunsthaus Zürich, Zürich — Vincent Hech Maison d’hôtes Les Platanes, Veytaux — Zeljko Gataric Berner Münster, Bern — Bern Welcome Walliserhaus, Zermatt — pixabay, anonymous user (CC) #Heritage #Preservation

Vernissage der Ausstellung „Wertvolle Räume“, Kloster Einsiedeln Grosses Interesse, spannende Diskussionen und reger Austausch der Klostergemeinschaft und der Gäste mit den Studierenden über ihre Entwurfsprojekte und die Zukunft des Klosters. Danke allen fürs Kommen, den Studierenden fürs Einrichten der Ausstellung und dem Kloster für den grossartigen Apéro.  Die Ausstellung ist weiterhin geöffnet. Ausstellung, 27.03. - 09.04.26 täglich geöffnet von 10:30 bis 17:00 Uhr Kloster Einsiedeln, Grosser Saal Anmeldung an der Hofpforte #klostereinsiedeln @arch.ethz @langenberg.eth

Patrimonio inclusivo: voci e luoghi invisibilizzati On March 2, Florence Graezer Bideau, Anna Karla De Almeida Milani, and Rune Frandsen celebrated the opening of Patrimonio inclusivo: voci e luoghi invisibilizzati at the SUPSI Campus Mendrisio. The exhibition is part of the project “A future for whose past?”, led by the Chair of Construction Heritage and Preservation at ETH Zurich in collaboration with ICOMOS Suisse and the Heritage, Anthropology and Technologies research group at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, with the support of the Federal Office of Culture. The exhibition builds on pedagogical work developed in the courses Future Heritage (ETH Zurich) and Urban Anthropology (EPFL). Focusing on overlooked places and voices across Switzerland, the exhibition invites us to rethink whose memories are preserved and represented in the built environment. A warm thank you to everyone who joined the opening and contributed to bringing this collective project to life. Exhibition open until 27 March 2026
Monday–Friday, 09:00–19:00. Link in Bio. #Exhibition #Preservation #AFutureForWhosePast

Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg was recently featured in an interview with SRF discussing a broader and more inclusive understanding of cultural heritage. The conversation explores how heritage preservation can move beyond traditional monuments to include places that carry social meaning for different communities — from migrant histories and women’s stories to unexpected sites like skate spots. The key question behind the project: “A future for whose past?” By looking at objects that hold both physical and intangible value, the initiative highlights how cultural heritage is shaped by many voices — including those that historically had little visibility or lobbying power. Listen to the full interview on SRF — link in bio. Image: Keivan Haghighat Shoat, Stan Baumann #heritage #preservation #SRF

WERTVOLLE RÄUME — Exhibition The Einsiedeln Abbey is one of the most significant sacred sites in Switzerland. For over a thousand years, it has shaped the religious, cultural, and architectural identity of the place. Yet churches and monasteries are increasingly empty, raising fundamental questions: How can a spiritual place remain relevant in an increasingly secular society? And what kinds of spaces does the monastery need in order to continue serving both the monastic community and the public in the future? Last semester, architecture students from the design studio Langenberg + Bischof Föhn at ETH Zurich explored these questions through an in-depth engagement with the monastery and its spatial future. The exhibition “WERTVOLLE RÄUME” (Valuable Spaces), on view 29 March – 9 April 2026 at the monastery, presents the wide range of architectural proposals developed during the studio. You are warmly invited to the opening on 27 March at 15:00, where students will present their projects and discuss possible futures for the monastery. Exhibition: 27.03.–09.04.26 Opening hours: daily 10:30–18:30 Please report to the reception at the courtyard gate (Hofpforte). Opening / Vernissage — 27.03.2026, 15:00 15:00 Welcome by Abbot Urban & semester review 15:30 Presentation of projects & discussion 16:30 Apéro Location: Kloster Einsiedeln, Grosser Saal Access via the courtyard gate (Hofpforte). Poster Image: Leïa Steiner, Mara Winistörfer

Spring Semester 2026 — Lecture Series Teaching Team: Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg & Salome Schepers In the spring semester of 2026, the seminar focuses on Switzerland’s recent building stock, paying particular attention to the impact of Analoge Architektur on architectural production since 1987. Invited guests reflect on their time as “Analogs” at ETH Zurich and present their built works. Selected projects will be examined in detail and discussed in relation to their heritage value. How did Analoge Architektur shape the building stock of the 1990s and 2000s? Why is Analoge Architektur significant for the heritage of recent architecture in Switzerland? Which buildings should be preserved to highlight its legacy? What challenges arise in assessing this architecture? And how did Analoge Architektur influence the practice of building within existing structures? Poster Image 1: Ruedi Walti, Basel Poster Image 2: Quintus Miller, in: Analoge Architektur (1987)

ETH Zürich Designstudio Langenberg + Bischof Föhn  Entwerfen am Baudenkmal - Kloster Einsiedeln Danke allen Studierenden und dem Kloster Einsiedeln für spannende Diskussonen und inspirierende Projekte. 1-2: Nicola und Sandro 3-5: Carlo und Linda 6-7: Corinna und Noella 8-9: Lars und Nicolas 10: Historisches Bild

Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg was featured in the recent WOZ article "Heimatschutz heute - Es könnte so schön sein" discussing how heritage preservation today goes far beyond protecting historic buildings. The text explores questions of collective memory, social responsibility, and who gets to define what is worth preserving. From displacement and housing to minority heritage and participation, the interview highlights why conservation is always a societal issue.
 Article by Alice Galizia Read the full article - link in bio. Image 1: From the “Catalog of Future Heritage”: Skatepark in Le Locle (Alan Maag)
Image 2: Room in the Bührer Areal in Biel (Lucas Dubuis) Image 3: Schönbühl high-rise building and shopping center in Lucerne (Sebastian Heeb, Schweizer Heimatschutz) #WOZ #Heritage #Preservation

Final Review Designstudio Langenberg + Bischof Föhn Wertvolle Räume - Entwerfen am Baudenkmal HS25 Kloster Einsiedeln Dienstag 16.12 / Mittwoch 17.12 9.30 Uhr HIL F 15, ETH Zürich Hönggerberg @arch.ethz @langenberg.eth . https://works.arch.ethz.ch/finalreviews

Entdecke die vielfältige Baukultur der Schweiz! Lerne 31 herausragende bauhistorische Zeitzeugen spielerisch kennen – vom historischen Kloster bis zur zeitgenössischen Überbauung. Vielleicht findest du hier sogar Inspiration für einen spannenden Ausflug in deiner Freizeit?   Das Memospiel "Bau Kultur Denkmal Schweiz" richtet sich an ein breites, an Architektur und Baugeschichte interessiertes Publikum. #Baukultur #Baubestand #Bautechniken #baugeschichte #Denkmalpflege #Schweiz #schweiztourismus #schweizerarchitektur

Last week’s two-day symposium in Munich took place at the Pinakothek der Moderne and Pavilion 333. This year’s symposium built upon the European Parliament’s 2024 Directive 2024/1799 on promoting the repair of goods, which provided the impetus for the Werkbund to revisit its founding principles. The focus was on achieving good and distinctive design as both a cultural and economic contribution, and on exploring how repair can be embedded in design across all scales. Our Chair of Construction History and Preservation contributed to the discourse through presentations by Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg and Dr. Matthias Brenner, who shared perspectives on repair in teaching and research. The symposium was developed in close collaboration with Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg (ETH Zurich), Prof. Dr. Andres Lepik (Architecture Museum of the Technical University of Munich), and Prof. Dr. Angelika Nollert (Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum). It was supported by a strong alliance of institutions spanning research, education, design, and craft—including the Architecture Museum of TU Munich, ETH Zurich, Die Neue Sammlung, Munich University of Applied Sciences, the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria, and Galerie Handwerk. The insights generated during the event will inform a forthcoming publication. Images 1, 3, 5, 6 by Stefania Rasile Images 2, 4, 7, 8 by Edward Beierle #Werkbund #Symposium #Repair

CAS ETH in Repair and Maintenance: How can a differentiated component assessment be established to enable targeted strengthening instead of replacement? Under what conditions can solutions tested on site be systematically transferred within the construction industry? In spring 2026, the continuing education program CAS ETH in Repair and Maintenance will take place again.
The program combines expert lectures, excursions, and workshops with an individual project. In close exchange with specialists from the D-ARCH and D-MAVT networks, participants examine their own repair ideas and translate them into scalable repair strategies. We are pleased to have Yves Ebnöther and Matthias Brenner accompanying the program. Classes take place on Thursdays and Fridays. Workshops and excursions offer direct exchange with partners such as Basler & Hofmann, Emch Aufzüge, Girsberger, Geilinger, Forster Manufaktur, and V-ZUG. Application deadline: 30 November 2025 Please note: The program will be held in German.
 Contact: [email protected] Link in bio for more information Image 2: Warehouse Emch Aufzüge Image 3: Factory for Circular Production V-ZUG School for Continuing Education, ETH Zurich #ContinuingEducation #Repair #Maintenance #Architecture