Locals oppose Novartis building plans in Risch

In 2004 Novartis announced their intention to build

 

Daniel Vasella, Novartis director, bought the parcel of land next to the Aabach manor in 1997 which belongs to the Novartis Group trust. The company announced their intention to build in 2004 and have now finally revealed their building plans – for a “corporate learning centre” for Novartis management. The centre would offer space for 40 people and also create 25 to 30 new jobs.

 

Architects Peter Zumthor and Günther Vogt are designing the new building which they say will be perfectly integrated into the landscape. Up until now Novartis has not requested a building permit, meaning that the building department of the municipality of Risch-Rotkreuz is not in a position to comment. According to Novartis spokesman Michael Schiendorfer, Novartis management and the building project managers have met with local authorities and residents on a number of occasions and have presented their building plans to the municipalities of Risch and Meierskappel. “These discussions have always been very constructive” says Schiendorfer.

 

There is however one aspect of the plans which has generated local opposition: an access road to the Böschenrot area of Meierskappel which crosses Novartis land and which the architects would like to see repositioned. Locals are against the proposed new road.

 

“We are not trying to block the entire project,” says local resident Christoph Schnyder, “but there are two reasons why we oppose the proposed new road. There are several families who would be affected because the new road would pass by their land, and the latter is also under federal landscape protection”. Locals have presented a counter-proposal for repositioning the road along the Aabach, on canton of Zug land, but the architects categorically oppose that proposal. “My fear is that this will lead to a political solution worked out together with the municipalities of Risch and Meierskappel as well as the cantonal building department directors of both the canton of Zug and the canton of Lucerne,” says Schnyder.