EQS-News: Implenia hands over Dialogplatz to the city of Winterthur

The large new town square in Lokstadt provides Winterthur with an attractive public meeting place suitable for many different uses.

Dietlikon, 8 June 2021 - Today saw an official celebration to mark Implenia's hand-over of Dialogplatz, completed this spring, to the city of Winterthur. At around 5,800 m2, it is one of the largest squares in Winterthur, and bigger than the Bundesplatz in Bern. Dialogplatz forms part of the 21,000 m2 of public open space created in Lokstadt, the new neighbourhood developed by Implenia. In accordance with the public design plan, the city will gradually take over this space on completion and take responsibility for its operation and maintenance. Implenia is contributing six million Swiss francs to future maintenance and renewal costs. With its varied and versatile mix of places to live, work, meet and engage in leisure activities, Lokstadt offers modern urban living on the site of the former Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik (SLM).

A place for all

Dialogplatz is home to roughly 100 trees, which display fragrant blossom in the spring and provide shade and a pleasant micro climate in the summer. A playground with water and sand on one side of the square will appeal to children and their parents. Pumptrack, a covered pavilion for concerts, markets and festivals, along with numerous benches and chairs, a drinking fountain and an outdoor catering area create all sorts of opportunities for people of all ages to hang out, meet up and play. And since the square is in a new pedestrian area far from any roads, all of this can be enjoyed without noise or worry about traffic.

A product of cooperative planning

Implenia and the city of Winterthur organised a participatory process designed to identify how people wanted to use the outdoor areas at Lokstadt. Based on the findings, Implenia has planned and built - and continues to plan and build - the public spaces of Lokstadt in collaboration with the city authorities.


The name 'Dialogplatz' is a nod to a labour agreement reached in 1937 following a wage dispute between Sulzer's workforce and management. For today's users, the name will soon gain another meaning: Dialogplatz will be a central space for encounters and interaction in the Lokstadt neighbourhood. Adrian Wyss, Head Division Real Estate at Implenia, comments: 'We are very pleased to hand over Dialogplatz to the residents of Lokstadt and everyone who lives in Winterthur; it's a fabulous town square and a multifaceted place for people to come together.' 

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As Switzerland's leading construction and real estate service provider, Implenia develops and builds homes, workplaces and infrastructure for future generations in Switzerland and Germany. It also plans and builds complex infrastructure projects in Austria, France, Sweden and Norway. Formed in 2006, the company can look back on around 150 years of construction tradition. The company brings together the know-how of its highly skilled consulting, planning and execution units under the umbrella of an integrated leading multi-national construction and real estate service provider. With its broad offering and the extensive experience of its specialists, the Group can realise complex major projects and provide customer-centric support across the entire life-cycle of a building or structure. It focuses on customer needs and on striking a sustainable balance between commercial success and social and environmental responsibility. Implenia, with its headquarters in Opfikon near Zurich, employs more than 8,500 people in Europe and posted revenue of almost CHF 4 billion in 2020. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (IMPN, CH0023868554). More information can be found at implenia.com.