A bold proposal to build a 260-metre-high accommodation block at the foot of the Matterhorn has stirred debate in the traditional resort of Zermatt in Switzerland.
Local hotelier Heinz Julen, known for his avant-garde architecture in the resort, has unveiled plans for a skyscraper named ‘Lina Peak’ at a cost of around 500 million Swiss Francs.
The proposed 65-storey structure would be among the tallest buildings in Switzerland, designed to address the severe housing shortage that has made it difficult for staff working in the resort. The resort is home to around 6,000 residents, but the population can increase to more than 40,000 people in peak season.
Affordable housing subsidised by luxury apartments
Julen’s proposal would set aside the lower floors of the tower as guaranteed affordable housing for seasonal workers, while the upper levels would include luxuryapartments whose sales would help fund the project.
The development could create more than 500 apartments on a small footprint of land that he already owns outside the village.
“We have no more space to build outward — the only solution is to build upward,” Julen told Swiss media.
Vertical housing solution
Like many ski resorts, Zermatt faces soaring real-estate prices and a chronic lack of accommodation for its workforce.
The ‘Lina Peak’ project proposes to relieve that pressure by consolidating housing vertically, an approach rarely seen in alpine regions.
Unsurprisingly for one of the most traditional resorts in Switzerland, the proposal has sparked controversy.
The site lies in an agricultural zone and would require major zoning changes and government approval.
Additionally, many residents fear that a 260m tower would disrupt the visual harmony of one of the world’s most picturesque mountain resorts.
The canton of Valais is expected to review the idea, but officials have emphasised that environmental, planning, and community concerns must be carefully assessed before any decision.
