‘More than Housing’ in the Hunziker Areal in Zurich North is one of the largest and most ambitious cooperative housing projects in Europe – and perhaps its most successful. On Wednesday it was named one of this year’s two winners of the World Habitat Awards 2016-17, which is run by the Building and Social Housing Foundation with the support of UN-Habitat.

The project won thanks to its “holistic interpretation of sustainability, interdisciplinary and participatory planning process as well as the creation of affordable, ecological and high-quality living spaces,” according to a statement from ‘More than Housing’.

World Habitat Award judge and UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr Joan Clos praised the project for its innovative approach to affordable housing, which he calls “one of the most important problems worldwide, both in the developed and developing world”. He also emphasised the project’s strong sense of community, adding that it “is led by the people living there and addresses the challenges of urbanisation including climate change, mobility and energy consumption”.

‘More than Housing’ is a socially diverse community of 1,300 residents spread across 13 environmentally friendly buildings. Residents have access to facilities such as retail units, meeting areas and large shared spaces.

This year’s other winner is A roof, a skill, a market (Nubian Vaults), a project training hundreds of local people across West Africa on how to create vaulted roofs using sun-dried mud bricks. The project has resulted in over 2,000 homes now being more affordable and comfortable.