Who is responsible for maintaining the quality of the place?

Since its strategic reorientation in 2015, The Toggenburg Bergbahnen AG (TBB) has been developing the Chäserrugg region with a view towards sustainable tourism. The TBB is thereby reinforcing what already exists in the valley: an important, vast and almost untouched landscape plus a well-preserved settlement structure with characteristic farmhouses. For the sensitive renewal of the infrastructure, the Stiftung Landschaftsschutz Schweiz (Swiss Foundation for Landscape Conservation) has awarded the TBB its prize for Landscape of the Year 2021.

Does the place adapt while at the same time preserving its built heritage?

Since 1972, an aerial cableway has provided skiers, snowshoe trekkers and summer tourists with access to Chäserrugg, the easternmost of the seven peaks of the Churfirsten range. The mountain station from the 1970s is an unpretentious, sheet-metal clad infrastructure building. The Basel-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron refurbished the station and extended it to the south with a new restaurant and viewing terrace. Since then, an expansive roof has covered the two distinct parts of the building, visually merging them into one.

Does the place promote biodiversity?

The landscape and nature of the Churfirsten are included as part of the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments (BLN). The TBB recognises that tourism and nature need not be mutually exclusive. Soft tourism preserves the landscape and allows visitors to experience it without exploiting or destroying it. The Chäserrugg area and the Churfirsten chain also boast a unique biodiversity. This is the only place in the world where the Swiss golden grasshopper (Podismopsis keisti) is at home and where the greatly endangered Eastern Alpine gentian blooms.

Will the place remain attractive in the long term for living, working, leisure and/or tourism?

After completing the new mountain station at Chäserrugg, Herzog & de Meuron also designed the three stations of the Stöfeli gondola lift. In terms of their massing and expression, the valley and summit stations are based on the local barns. The middle station, which also serves as a garage for the gondolas, is considerably larger. All three stations have a restrained architectural language in common: simple materials, limited colours and clear forms. Wherever possible, regional woods were used and companies from the valley were involved.

Does the place foster shared responsibility for private and public spaces?

The TBB’s deliberate strategy has enabled it to make an important contribution to the quality of life in the valley, particularly through the creation of jobs and training opportunities as well as by supporting local suppliers. Moreover, sustainable tourism appeals to guests who value quality in the landscape, in dining and in hotel accommodations. The company’s developmental efforts are supported by the commitment of a skilled and locally based workforce.

Was the place thoroughly analysed prior to the intervention?

In connection with the renewal of its infrastructure, the TBB is carrying out an intensive strategic process and is drawing on the characteristic qualities of the Toggenburg area to guide its future development. The focus is on the special features of the landscape and on the unique combination of sporting activities, unspoilt nature and authentic culture. Through collaboration with the Basel-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, this objective has been made tangible in various infrastructure projects.

Is the use compatible with ecological principles?

For more than ten years, the promotional association Energietal Toggenburg has been working towards sustainable and climate-neutral energy production and efficient energy use in the region. The association’s goals are to make the valley energy self-sufficient by 2034 and to achieve the vision of a 2000-watt society by 2059. The association also aims to make a lasting contribution to the autonomous development of the valley.

Does the place have an atmospheric impact on the beholder?

The station at the top of Chäserrugg is an impressive combination of barn, chalet and gondola hall. The building raises the art of carpentry to a new level: mighty cantilevers, roof corners that taper to a point and massive beams allow for impressive spans and great heights. The architects have skilfully integrated the existing building into a new whole which, thanks to the use of wood, blends in superbly with its surroundings. The result is a powerful serenity on the mountain.