Senior housing in Switzerland: a home that supports independence
Growing older at home means keeping familiar routines, relationships and freedom of choice. For an architect, this raises a precise question: how can we design homes that remain welcoming and usable as residents’ needs change? The answer requires us to connect the domestic space with its neighbourhood, local services and the organisation of support.
Home is part of the care pathway
Since March 2026, the HUG integrated liaison service has coordinated the transition from hospital to home care.
For us, the architectural significance of this example lies in continuity. The home can play a more considered role in everyday life: an easily reached entrance, a bathroom that can accommodate assistance, a private space for a visit and clear routes for residents and professionals. Adding a treatment room to a building is not enough to make it a good home.
A home, with different levels of support
When planning housing, it helps to distinguish four situations. Independent housing centres on living autonomously. Home care consists of services arranged for the individual. A supported residence adds shared services defined by an operating model. A residential care facility responds to different care needs. These pathways can connect, but each entails specific responsibilities and arrangements.
Geneva’s IEPA are a cantonal example of housing with support. Recognition follows a dedicated planning process and specific requirements.
Our Bau Lütz Senior proposal is intended primarily for independent older people. Any services must be defined with the client and the relevant providers. A sound project must also consider what happens when needs change; it cannot promise that every future need will be met in the same home.
Care funding and property investment
The EFAS reform concerns healthcare services: the first phase is scheduled for 2028, with care services included in 2032.
This change does not amount to an automatic grant for building residences. When assessing an initiative, we distinguish the cost of the property, rents, the operation of shared spaces and support services. Discussions with the municipality, canton and potential operators must begin with local demand and the project’s actual circumstances.
Architecture begins with everyday life
A residence should feel like a place to live. We propose independent homes, clearly defined entrances and shared spaces where meeting others is an option rather than an obligation. A bench along an accessible path, a shared kitchen or a garden can create opportunities for connection when they form part of a simple, carefully considered layout.
Natural light, proportion, shade, quiet and the relationship with the landscape belong to the same design process. We study natural materials such as timber, earth, lime and plant fibres where suited to the technical, economic and regulatory conditions. These are design directions to assess for each project, rather than certified performance claims. Domestic controls should also be intuitive: technology serves people when it makes their day easier.
A proposal shaped with each place
Bau Lütz Senior is our research programme for independent, accessible and ecological housing. It can guide new buildings, conversions and the reuse of existing buildings, without repeating the same design in every canton. Climate, urban fabric, services and local ways of life shape the choices.
For municipalities, foundations, cooperatives and owners, a preliminary study can be a first step: clarify demand, understand the land or building, compare options and identify the parties needed. Through this shared work, a vision can develop into a commissioned project.
Sources and editorial interpretation
This dossier distinguishes information from public sources from our architectural interpretation and the Bau Lütz proposal. Documentation checked on 15 October 2026.
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