ROREP SwissLAB 2016: Airport City Region – The case of Zurich

SwissLAB 2016 was organised by Brugger + Partner together with ROREP, the Swiss Society for Spatial Planning and Regional Policy. This platform is designed for students, doctoral candidates, young researchers, and professionals in regional and spatial development. SwissLAB fosters the exchange of ideas on regional economic and spatial planning topics, supports knowledge transfer, and connects spatial research stakeholders. The 2016 event focused on the Zurich Airport region. Airports today are more than mere infrastructure; they are evolving into "airport cities" and "airport regions". These dynamic hubs are part of global location competition, shaping entire large regions known as "mega-city regions". Airports link economic development centres worldwide while also impacting living spaces with challenges such as aircraft and road noise. Addressing these tensions requires carefully balanced strategies developed in close collaboration with the involved stakeholder groups.