Bernhard Furrer

How to Deal with Halen Estate

The Siedlung Halen (Halen Estate), built in the late 1950s near Berne, Switzerland, is still visited by many architects and students from all over the world. The houses of the Estate, once sold for a moderate price, are in high demand nowadays, which leads to a higher expectation for available space and comfort. After 50 years of existence, the normal problems of long-time maintenance are not easy to resolve. Although hampered by problems of concordance among the owners, the exemplary process of planning raises hope for an equally exemplary execution.