Alps Endangered as Swiss Sprawl Spreads

Over the last 70 years, sprawl has rapidly taken over much of Switzerland, not just in suburban areas around cities, but also in the country's famous Alps.

1 minute read

October 13, 2008, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Geographers also found that the modern level of sprawl – inefficient, low-density development – in places like the Rhone Valley was proportionately identical to levels around Zurich."

"'There really is no difference,' Christian Schwick, a geographer and co-author of the study, told swissinfo. 'We in Switzerland think of the Alps as being untouched landscape, but we have seen this is not true.'"

"By comparing maps from 1935, 1960, 1980 and 2002, researchers were able to assign a coefficient to sprawl, with lower numbers signifying denser, more efficient communities."

"In 1935 sprawl had a factor of 1.2. By 2002 it had leapt to nearly 2.6."

FULL STORY: Swiss countryside succumbs to urban sprawl

Friday, October 10, 2008 in SwissInfo

Environment Land Use Urban Development Europe Sprawl Switzerland Alps View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.