Organizational Development of the Infrastructure Cooperative Viererfeld

Client

Immobilien Stadt Bern

Project period

2025

Result

Refined organizational profile of IGeno
Concrete action plan for continued development

The new urban district Viererfeld in Bern will feature around 1,100 apartments, green spaces, and a school building by 2030. To provide central infrastructures and services within the district, the developers and the City of Bern have joined forces in the Infrastructure Cooperative Viererfeld/Mittelfeld (IGeno). We support the strategic and organizational preparation of IGeno.

The starting point

Immobilien Stadt Bern (ISB) is developing the Viererfeld urban district on behalf of the Fund for Land and Housing Policy, with a diverse mix of uses and high urban complexity. To create the conditions for a functioning and vibrant community life, the Infrastructure Cooperative Viererfeld/Mittelfeld (IGeno) was founded in 2024. Its members include the City of Bern and, with the signing of building rights contracts, private developers.

IGeno is responsible for the future operation of shared infrastructures such as underground parking and public spaces, as well as managing the neighborhood and the management of public-facing ground floor spaces. While a solid understanding of operational tasks already existed, the purpose, vision, and strategic significance of IGeno’s action areas needed to be clearly defined. The goal was to develop a viable consensus between the City and private developers and establish a dynamic foundation for the further development of IGeno.

Our contribution

We supported Immobilien Stadt Bern (ISB) in the Organizational Development mandate for IGeno by strategically and conceptually refining IGeno’s organizational profile. This was based on an analysis of existing documents on operations, usage, and the previous involvement of developers.

To identify success factors, we conducted interviews with key figures from five comparable area developments, complemented by site visits. The insights gained helped assess IGeno’s development needs and contributed to refining its organizational profile.

In two half-day workshops with representatives from the City of Bern and private developers, the purpose, vision, positioning, and strategic areas of action of IGeno were clarified and prioritized. Additionally, we defined concrete steps for establishing a suitable organizational structure and activity plan.

The result is a refined organizational profile for IGeno, positioning it as an independent actor in the district, along with a binding activity plan for further development. A key success of the process was the increased commitment from all stakeholders to actively engage in realizing the proposed implementation perspectives.