Join us on a walk through the old town. Explore the old town centres and their stories in nine alleyways and squares. You meet people who live, work or research in historic city centres. Take a look behind the facades and discover diverse visions and exemplary projects for this distinctive urban environment.
Collective development
Last summer, the Swiss Heritage Centre launched a call for stories from Swiss old towns. Over 40 people responded and some of them took part in a workshop at the Villa Patumbah to talk about the issues and challenges they face in their old towns. Themes for the exhibition were defined together and possible realisations outlined. This participatory approach made it possible to incorporate diverse perspectives, and make them visible in the exhibition.
From Geneva to Ilanz
Visitors can find out how a converted garage in Geneva's old town became a lively neighbourhood meeting place, why Bern has the ‘greenest alley in Switzerland’ and how various parties are trying to revitalise Ilanz's old town. The exhibition aims to (re)familiarise visitors with the old town as a place to live and work and encourages them to think about possible developments in the future.
Judith Schubiger, Jan Kohler, Swiss Hertiage Center and Bettina Riedrich, zwischendrin
Koch Szenografie, Sonja Koch
Stillhart Schindler
SKKG Stiftung für Kunst, Kultur und Geschichte, DH-Stiftung, Egon-und-lngrid-Hug-Stiftung, Oertli Stiftung, Gottfried und Ursula Schäppi-Jecklin Stiftung, Freund:innen der Villa Patumbah