In the municipality of Ostermundigen, a suburban community of Switzerland's capital city, Bern, residents have recently approved the construction of a 100-metre mixed-used tower. Set to rise on Bernstrasse street, steps away from the town's train station, Hochhaus Bären will consist of a 33-storey tower, a four-storey building and a new public square situated in between. The development was designed by Swiss architect Burkard Meyer Architekten, and will replace a series of houses and mid-rises currently on site.

Hochhaus Bären will be Bern Canton's tallest tower, image via Burkard Meyer Architekten

Out of the development's 17,800 square metres, developed by Halter AG, 4,200 will be occupied by a hotel, 2,400 will be used as office space, 1,400 as retail space, and 1,200 as different food venues, one of which will be situated on the 10th level of the building, offering panoramic views of the surrounding Alps. The remaining space will be home to two-to four-bedroom high-end residences, aiming to attract additional tax revenue to a city that is home to a many low-income residents.

A new public square is part of Halter AG's plan, image via Burkard Meyer Architekten

The project is estimated at a cost of $126 million and will be Bern Canton's first skyscraper and Switzerland's fourth tallest tower. Indeed, the current tallest building in the city is the Bern Minister cathedral, standing at 101 metres above the street level — a mere 50 centimetres taller than the planned skyscraper. Hochhaus Bären is tentatively scheduled for completion in 2019, and will highly contrast with the city's preserved traditional architecture. The tower's construction was recently approved through a referendum where more than 64% of the population voted in favour of the project.

The 10th floor restaurant will offer panoramic views of the Alps, image via Burkard Meyer Architekten

What do you think of this development? Tell us by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page, of by visiting the thread dedicated to this project. More renderings and information are also available on the corresponding Database file, linked below.