Family sitting and standing around a table with a white tablecloth in the garden. They are laughing and celebrating. A string of lights and blue party triangles hang above them.

Anniversary celebrations in Winterthur

For the past 150 years, Winterthur has been home to AXA Switzerland. We wish to use this special anniversary to honor the city where our company is headquartered. And to give something back to the residents of Winterthur.

As part of our 150th anniversary, we have created three special projects to say thank you, Winterthur! Together we stand for a healthy environment and help create a liveable future.

1. Flora Futura Park

At our main office in Winterthur, a space of some 16,000 square meters will undergo ecological restoration. Out of the lawns and bushes surrounding our main office on General-Guisan-Strasse and Römerstrasse in Winterthur a new park will be created that features habitats for flora and fauna and invites everyone to observe and be amazed by these plants and animals.

AXA headquarters – a location brimming with history

Our head office on General-Guisan-Strasse and Römerstrasse is a designated historical property – the building is protected by the city of Winterthur. But it’s not only the architecture that’s worth preserving: The green spaces all around reflect the landscaping of the 20th century and form an essential part of the whole.

New for 2025 The Flora Futura Park

The park will be blooming just in time for the 2025 anniversary celebration. In 2024, what had been lawns were regenerated to make room for and sustainably promote more biodiversity in nature. In the future, dry meadows and flower meadows, wetlands and ruderal areas will create a colorful collection of ecosystems to transform the area into a biodiverse paradise. The goal is to make these habitats more resilient against climate change and create habitats for various types of plants, mammals, birds and insects.

What can you expect at the Flora Futura Park?

Recharge zone: The park features spaces for meeting up, relaxing and whiling away the time, strolling, daydreaming, reading a good book or picnicking. 
Adventure zone: Visitors young and old to the Flora Futura Park will get to experience the fascination of biodiversity and learn surprising things about it too – both firsthand and online.
Food and drink: The restaurant on Römerstrasse will be open to everyone – not just AXA employees. Come by and enjoy the sustainable organic dishes flavored with herbs grown in the Flora Futura Park.

What will happen to the works of art in the park?

The pink sculpture in front of the main building by Franz West and the iron sculpture on the lawn by Silvio Mattioli will stay. They are to be relocated to a place where these pieces of our cultural heritage will interact harmoniously with their natural surroundings.

Graphic of a bird in white with Flora Futura Park in green in front of it.

2. Green bus stops

But the area around our office building won’t be the only space to bloom and be regenerated: Several bus stops in Winterthur will also be greened up. This will create green islands on the bus shelter roofs in the city, which will not only be visually impressive but also help the environment and biodiversity.

What use are green bus stops?

Green bus stops have numerous positive effects on their surroundings:

They improve the microclimate and cool down the surrounding area. The plantings around the bus stops lower the temperature on hot summer days to create more pleasant conditions for pedestrians.
They promote biodiversity: These plantings create tiny habitats for insects, birds and other animals right in the middle of the city, which promotes biodiversity and protects threatened species.
They store rainwater: Green roofs store rainwater. This takes the pressure off of storm drains and lowers the risk of flooding during heavy rains.
They improve air quality: Plants filter out fine dust and harmful substances from the air. This means green bus stops help improve air quality and promote a healthier environment for city residents.

Project locations and implementation in Winterthur

A total of five green bus stops are planned in cooperation with the Winterthur city bus (in German). The bus shelters at the Haldengut, Strahlegg, Obertor, im Link and Industriepark stops will all receive green roofs in 2025.

Graphic of the greened Stanorte stops. At the bottom left is the stop and behind it a map of Winterthur.

3. Microforest

Ecological, innovative and fascinating – microforests! Tiny forests will come alive throughout the city of Winterthur to help regulate the local climate and provide habitats for native plants and animals.

What is a microforest?

A microforest is a tiny forested area often within a city that grows into a dense, highly diverse ecosystem within just a few years thanks to the use of a specific planting method.The concept of a microforest comes from the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. The aim is to achieve a large amount of biodiversity in a very small space to improve air quality, regulate the microclimate and create habitat for many small animals.

What advantages do microforests offer?

Microforests have numerous positive effects on their surroundings:

They promote biodiversity: Microforests grow up to ten times faster than forests that are planted the traditional way and become a functioning ecosystem in just two years. This means they are an efficient reforesting method because in a relatively short amount of time they create habitats for plants and animals to promote the biodiversity of cities.
They improve air quality: Microforests sequester carbon and filter out harmful substances and fine dust particles from the air. And they are natural air conditioners. Water evaporates from trees when it’s hot, which cools the air.
They also minimize the risk of flooding: Through their dense vegetation and deep roots, microforests help soak up and store rainwater, which improves the soil structure and minimizes the risks of floods.
They also improve the well-being of humans – green spaces have a positive effect on people’s emotional state. They reduce stress, improve a person’s mood and promote a general sense of well-being.

Project locations and implementation in Winterthur

AXA employees volunteer to plant the microforests together with Stadtgrün Winterthur. A total of two microforests are slated to be planted in Winterthur: One Am Brisiweg in the Veltheim neighborhood and one in Allmend Grüzefeld. Starting in March 2025, both of these areas will be open to the public.