Davos is full of architectural sins

One of the first days of the new year 2023. The view from the window of the Rhaetian Railway reveals a bleak sight. Brown and gray colors dominate instead of white. Destination of the train journey, Europe’s highest city – former health resort and venue of the World Economic Forum (WEF): Davos GR. Soon the rich and powerful of the world will come here.

Ski season has already started. But there is no snow on Davos’ asphalt roads and flat concrete roofs. Instead, it rains from the sky. “It’s not nice,” says resident Margarete Schüpfer (85), with a view of the city. And she says what a lot of people think.

Architecture is polarizing

Blick asked passersby, including tourists and Davos residents, for their views on the city’s architecture. Giacomo Müller* (62) says there are two views on Davos. “One thing is the beauty of nature. The other is architecture. Like it or not,’ the owner of a vacation flat expresses this diplomatically. “I like it when it snows the most,” says Uwe Schroeder-Wildberg (57) on vacation here.

Foreign media is clearer. “Earth” had named the Mecca of the powerful as “ugly Davos” last year. The city, a scattered settlement along the Landwasser, “is made up of Gründerzeit palaces, flat-roofed cottages and football field-sized parking lots”. Someone talks about an urban planning disaster.

Grisons architecture critic and publisher of “Hochparterre” Köbi Gantenbein (67) describes Davos as follows: “The place may be successful and vibrant, its social and economic history impressive – but the image of the place is bad, miserable and chaotic.”

This doesn’t just mean concrete blocks. It is also about traffic management. Level crossings regularly obstruct the flow of traffic in the city. There is traffic jam and chaos in the center every day in the winter season. Daily tourists come by car in winter and park in the Parsenn car park. It is difficult to get there by public transport. Davos Dorf train station is far from the mountain railway.

The city has a problem. Even Landammann Philipp Wilhelm (34) does not deny this. Blick stands with him in the large Parsenn parking lot. “It’s a welcoming place,” admits Wilhelm. The plan is to pave the way for a new train station.

“There is still a lot of potential at Davos”

Davos is not ugly, Landammann defends himself against the bad image of his city. Nor is it an urban disaster. “When Davos was still a health centre, the sun was Davos’ master builder,” Wilhelm says. The houses are towards the sun with a balcony to the south.

But Wilhelm doesn’t deny there is room for improvement. “Davos still has a lot of potential to become more attractive,” Landammann said.

250 million innovations

Davos is about to get a makeover. The redesign of the city center is a comprehensive project. It includes the redesign of the promenade and the Seehofseeli, as well as moving the station 400 meters. The parking lot will be moved to the basement.

“With these measures, we want to separate the traffic flow and create a new meeting zone,” says Landammann. Today, where the busy highway and car park dominate the city view, space must be created for strolling.

Innovations aren’t exactly cheap: Davos’ beauty treatment is expected to cost 250 million francs – if accepted by the public. But the city does not have to handle the project alone.

The Rhaetian Railway will take part in the construction of the station. A housing cooperative is also investing and wants to ensure that more affordable housing is available in the center of Davos in the future. The mountain railway is also investing.

The municipality currently anticipates a cost of CHF 88 million. Davos will borrow money for it. According to Landammann, a guarantee of CHF 20 million is planned. “This is financially justified,” Wilhelm says.

Green light still on hold

However, nothing is finalized yet. Because the project is in the revision stage. At the end of 2023, the people of Davos will vote on the construction loan and conversion.

If the public gets the green light, the first phase of transformation should take place from 2024. This includes the transportation of the train station and the realization of the bus station. Construction of the underground car park is planned for 2026. This is followed by the park’s redesign and housing development. According to Landammann, it takes at least 2030 for Davos to shine in its new glory.

Visitors to this year’s DEF will see nothing but the big makeover. With a little luck, snow will cover the dreary asphalt surfaces and flat concrete roofs of Europe’s tallest city by then.

*Name changed by editors