UrbanLab Viererfeld

Collaborative research for sustainable neighborhood planning

The UrbanLab conducts transdisciplinary and multi-perspective research on how the ecological and social sustainability goals of the City of Bern can be achieved during and after the construction of the new Viererfeld and Mittelfeld neighborhood. To this end, the project collects practice-oriented data from physical geography, biology, economics, and social sciences. It also simulates interactions between new housing structures and environmental factors. The findings and interim results are intended to provide planners with valuable insights and concrete approaches to further develop their projects.

Project team

Applicants: Prof. Dr. Stefan Brönnimann*, PD Dr. Jeanine Wintzer*, Dr. Jörg Franke*, Dr. Moritz Gubler*, Prof. Dr. Jean-David Gerber (Institute of Geography GIUB), Dr. Apolline Saucy* (Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine ISPM), Prof. Dr. Edouard Davin* (Physikalisches Institut und Wyss-Academy for Nature) ​(*Oeschger Zentrum für) Klimaforschung OCCR​

Partners - City of Bern: Immobilien Stadt Bern (FPI, Beat Kästli), Tiefbau Stadt Bern/Stadtgrün (TVS, Matthias Aebischer), Stadtplanungsamt/Bereich Freiraum (Stefan Lauber), Amt für Umwelt/Stadtlabor (SUE, Ralf Maibusch, Natalie Schäfer), Gesundheitsdienst (BSS, Denise Felber), ​Fachstelle Gleichstellung von Menschen mit Behinderungen (Rahel Reinert), Quartierkommission Länggasse Engehalbinsel (Daniel Blumer), eawag (Dr. Lauren Cook), Berner Fachhochschule (Prof. Dr. Pierre Queloz), Pädagogische Hochschule Bern (Dr. Moritz Gubler, Dr. Matthias Probst, ), Gymnasium Neufeld (Georg Bill)      ​

Contribution to Sustainable Transformation

As part of the Viererfeld-Mittelfeld urban development project, a sustainable and livable neighborhood is being created. The development is guided by the City of Bern’s framework strategy for sustainable development, RAN2030, which aligns with the goals of Agenda 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is based on the triad of ecological (e.g. climate protection, climate adaptation, remediation of contaminated soil), social (e.g. public health), and economic sustainability (e.g. affordable housing and responsible investment).

To assess the effects of these measures, the accompanying research must be broad in scope and holistic in approach. The project will generate valuable insights for future urban development initiatives. Thanks to an ongoing collaboration with the Association of Municipal Infrastructure and the Swiss Association of Cities, these insights can also be shared with other Swiss cities.

Current Status & Next Steps

  • History and Narratives of Viererfeld and Mittelfeld: Investigating historical land use, political and societal negotiation processes, and public opinion regarding the development of the area.

  • Environmental Baselines and Monitoring: Collecting and analyzing hydrological, soil, climatic, and micrometeorological data for the Viererfeld-Mittelfeld site.

  • Simulations and Impact Assessment: Modeling and evaluating the effects of large-scale development on urban climate, carbon and energy balance, and the water cycle.

  • Interactions with Human Health: Exploring the relationship between the development project and public health by analyzing environmentally relevant health factors.

  • Planning Processes and the Spatial Organization of Care: Examining the complex planning procedures from a care perspective, including legal and spatial frameworks.

  • Education and Public Engagement: Using the UrbanLab to design and evaluate transdisciplinary teaching and learning formats (Education for Sustainable Development) and participatory research approaches (Citizen Science)

Contact

Prof. Dr. Stefan Brönnimann Institute of Geography University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, urbanlab.giub@unibe.ch