Excavating, securing and soon drilling

Construction work for the new retirement centre in Rotkreuz has been underway since October 2023. The construction site is around 6,200 square metres in size.

Following the start of construction in October 2023, with the demolition of the existing buildings, excavation work for the new Dreilinden Care Centre and the sixty retirement flats on the Buonaserstrasse in the centre of Rotkreuz began in early November.

According to the municipal publication "Rischer Zeitung (RIZ)", the excavation work is underway and is "expected to be completed in April 2024 with the completion of the excavation pit".

The size of the construction site - around 6,200 square metres - is impressive. "Several feedbacks from the population have shown that many residents only realised and became aware of this after the demolition work was completed," continues the municipal publication. Construction progress can be followed via a webcam.

This is how the village centre of Rotkreuz still looked in October 2023. The houses on the Buonaserstrasse have gradually disappeared                       Photo: Stefanie Geske
Webcam view of the construction site for the new Dreilinden centre on the Buonaserstrasse in Rotkreuz.             Photo: Webcam projekt-dreilinden.ch

Drilling for the geothermal probes to begin
The progress of the excavation work is heavily dependent on the weather, as wet excavated material cannot be removed "or can only be removed under difficult conditions". To prevent the roads around the construction site from becoming too dirty, a wheel guard system has been installed for the lorries.

In addition, the embankments around the excavation pit are being secured with nail walls. A groundwater lowering system was also put into operation, and the car park of the former music school has also been dismantled.

Weather permitting, the drilling for the geothermal probes should begin this month in the area of the new building with the retirement flats. They are expected to last until April 2024 for the building of the new care centre, the information sheet continues.

If piling is required to secure or stabilise the future buildings, this will be done by drilling. Driven piles will not be used for reasons of noise protection and to avoid vibrations. The first shell construction work is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of this year.

Foundation stone to be laid in February
Even though the initial work has already begun, the start of construction will be officially celebrated in a ceremony on 21 February. In order to preserve information about the Dreilinden project for posterity, a box containing various documents will be embedded under the floor slab of the basement. The construction of the new Dreilinden Centre is expected to cost around CHF 40 million.

It is planned to hand over the retirement flats to the tenants and the operator, the Risch/Meierskappel Retirement Centre Foundation (Stiftung Alterszentrum), at the end of 2025, and the new care centre at the beginning of 2026.