About
Switzerland Demolitions: 21st Century
Buildings demolished across Switzerland in the 21st century are brought back onto the map as simple axonometric "ghosts". Reviewed and cleaned historical data reveals the scale of demolition as a landscape of vanished buildings and urban fragments.
Historical records are often incomplete. Some buildings can still be reconstructed as outlines, while others survive only as a point, creating a kind of digital ruin of what once stood there.
Since 2024, SEPAR has been systematically tracking and archiving demolitions as they happen. Visual records and building data are preserved before disappearance, while tracked buildings are also assessed for urban mining potential.
Sources: Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (RBD / GWR), swisstopo / geo.admin.ch, SFOE solar facade data, OpenStreetMap contributors, Esri World Imagery, Google Maps / Street View, SEPAR monitoring and analysis.
Demolition dates refer to permit issuance, typically leaving around two weeks to two months before actual demolition, while delayed data updates make the timing indicative.