Davidsboden in Basel II

Second Evaluation of the Housing Complex Davidsboden in Basel - 8 Years later

The housing complex Davidsboden with 160 inexpensive apartment units was built in 1991. In 1992, the ETH Wohnforum - ETH CASE conducted an initial evaluation to assess the planning and preparation phase, the tenant participation process in determining apartment lay-out and equipment, as well as apartment and tenant characteristics. Results were published in the publication series "Housing"(Volume 57) of the Swiss Federal Housing Office.

Davidsboden represents an innovative approach in that it seeks to apply existing experience of community-oriented, co-determined and self-managed housing to a large rental housing complex in an urban context. The second evaluation re-assesses the findings of the first evaluation and the situation as it presents itself eight years later. The main topics explored are: outcomes of the differing procedures adopted by the two property owners with respect to adaptability, utilization flexibility, and tenant participation. Furthermore, tenant satisfaction, social integration in terms of both the complex itself and the neighborhood, tenant turnover and short- and long-term financial costs and benefits will be looked at. The housing complex is also evaluated as to its sustainability at a chemical-physical, biological, human-individual, social and cultural level. The evaluation is expected to yield conclusions to be drawn about the complex itself as well as about the participation and self-management model as such.