Mobility and Urban Development, Vevey

The city of Vevey is one of the main centers of the Riviera agglomeration (Vevey–Montreux). The agglomeration has largely grown together, is functionally highly interconnected, and belongs to the fastest-growing regions in Switzerland.

Due to the steep topography, dense construction, and valuable landscape, building new roads is not a priority for solving traffic issues. Instead, the strategy focuses on improving coordination between transport and urban design in order to manage traffic more efficiently within the existing network and reduce negative effects such as noise and barriers. The redesign of street spaces and restructuring of buildings along street frontages aims to better fulfill the role of streets as places for address and interaction.

The foundation of the masterplan is a strategic development concept. Densification and development are concentrated in central, well-connected locations, while in the historical center the focus is on urban upgrading. The main traffic network is simplified. A matrix of operational, design, and urban principles was developed for the redesign of the streets, showing how both context and traffic function can be addressed. A toolbox for the design of intersections was also created to help transform them into attractive meeting and orientation points. The matrix and toolbox are formalized in urban design guidelines.

The project emerged from a politically controversial discussion on how to resolve the conflict between transport and urban development and was therefore part of an intensive participatory process.