What the arcades allow, and what they don't
In short
An interior designer in Bern plans and oversees the renovation of a flat, from a custom kitchen to a full reorganisation of the rooms. In an officially bilingual canton with one of Switzerland's strictest protection regimes and a UNESCO-listed sandstone Old Town, the role goes beyond aesthetics: it clarifies with the heritage office what the building inventory allows, translates your needs into permit-ready plans, and keeps the budget on track. Expect 15 to 22 % of construction costs for the fee on a renovation.
Around six kilometres of sandstone arcades, vaulted cellar mouths, walls that have stood for centuries and tolerate no improvised opening. Renovating a flat in Bern's Old Town has nothing in common with a 1990s flat in Ostermundigen. Between the medieval fabric running beneath the arcades and one of Switzerland's strictest protection regimes, every project begins with the same question: what can really be changed, and at what price?
Why an interior designer in Bern makes sense
The interior designer shapes lived-in spaces: layout, light, materials, built-in furniture. In Bern, the value lies as much in the design as in local knowledge. A building listed in the inventory, a sandstone façade, an original staircase: these elements determine what is feasible before a single plan is drawn. Calling in a professional who knows the place avoids a project rejected by the heritage office after months.
The role: far more than picking colours
The profession covers the entire process, from surveying the existing space to handover. The interior designer is not limited to decoration: they move partitions, rethink a kitchen, coordinate the trades and make sure everything complies with standards and heritage requirements. A full mandate usually includes the following services.
- Survey and analysis of the existing space, including structural and heritage constraints
- Preliminary design: plans, sketches, moodboards and a first cost estimate
- Detailed design: material choices, custom furniture, technical drawings
- Permit application and exchanges with the municipality and the cantonal heritage office
- Tenders, comparison of quotes and selection of the trades
- Site management, construction supervision and final handover
The project phases, from survey to handover
A renovation project follows a logical sequence. Knowing these stages lets you know where you stand at any moment and prepare your decisions.
Precise measurements, condition assessment and clarification of your real needs. This phase reveals the hidden constraints of an old building.
First spatial proposals and cost estimate. A direction is set before investing in detailed plans.
Final plans, material choices and, if needed, submission of an application to the municipality and the canton.
Consulting the trades, comparing quotes and setting the final budget before work begins.
Coordination of the trades, quality control and clearing of defects at handover.
Fees and budget: what to expect
An interior designer's fee usually ranges from 15 to 22 % of construction costs for a renovation, and 12 to 18 % for new construction. Some charge an hourly rate of 120 to 300 CHF, depending on experience and complexity. Important: the SIA fee schedule has no longer been binding since 2020, so prices are negotiated freely on a case-by-case basis.
Cost ranges for a flat renovation in Bern
These ranges vary widely depending on the state of the flat and its heritage character. Set aside a reserve of 10 to 20 % for the unexpected: in an old building, it is the rule, not the exception. Observed budget overruns often land between 15 and 25 % when no margin was planned.
Not sure whether a project in the Old Town or elsewhere in the canton is feasible? A first conversation clarifies what is possible before you commit. Compare architects in your canton
Old Town, arcades and the heritage office
Bern's Old Town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983, notably for its exceptionally coherent medieval townscape with its roughly six kilometres of sandstone arcades. The city applies a management plan that governs procedures and requirements within the World Heritage perimeter; its gradual rollout is planned for 2026. Any intervention on a protected building goes through the heritage office, which inventories the heritage, places buildings under protection and advises owners. In practice, the façade, roof structure, original windows or interior elements can be subject to conditions.
- Changes visible from public space are examined with particular strictness
- Sandstone is a soft stone: its upkeep demands specialised techniques and trades
- Inside too, staircases, beams, panelling or floors can be protected
- A permit or a preliminary enquiry to the heritage office may be required before work starts
- Subsidies or tax relief sometimes exist for the restoration of protected objects
The canton keeps a building inventory that distinguishes buildings worth protecting from those worth preserving. For so-called cantonal objects – all buildings worth protecting, plus those worth preserving that belong to a building group – the cantonal heritage office is responsible. For these objects, protection can extend inside: an original staircase, a stucco ceiling or a historic floor cannot simply be removed. A building's status can be checked online in the inventory and should be verified before any design work.
In a protected building, the heritage constraint is not an obstacle to be worked around: it is the framework that gives the project its value. You design with the history of the place, not against it.
A bilingual canton: the reality on site
Bern is one of Switzerland's three officially bilingual cantons, alongside Fribourg and Valais. German and French are official languages on an equal footing. The city of Bern is German-speaking, the Bernese Jura French-speaking, Biel/Bienne officially bilingual. On a site, this means that trades, documents and municipal offices switch language depending on the location. An interior designer familiar with the canton coordinates smoothly between Bern, Biel and the French-speaking municipalities.
Protected old building or newer flat: two logics
Whether you renovate in the Old Town or in a newer building in the agglomeration, the method changes fundamentally.
- Possible preliminary enquiry to the cantonal heritage office
- Limited intervention on façades and original interior elements
- Specialised trades for sandstone and old fabric
- Longer timelines, higher budget and higher reserve
- High heritage value and unique character
- Municipal permit that is usually standard
- Great freedom in reorganising the rooms
- Conventional trades and manageable timelines
- More predictable cost per square metre
- Fewer constraints, less original charm
Avoiding nasty surprises
Three habits limit the risks. First, an asbestos survey is essential for any building constructed before 1991: renovation can release fibres if this point has not been checked. Second, set aside a reserve of 10 to 20 % from the start. Third, have detailed quotes drawn up and a clear scope signed off: this is the best protection against the 15 to 25 % overruns that arise when the scope stays vague.
Let's talk about your project in Bern
Whether your property is in the Old Town, in Köniz or in the Bernese Jura, we assess feasibility, heritage requirements and budget before we draw. Contact AC Design for a first appointment.
Describe my projectFAQ
The fee usually ranges from 15 to 22 % of construction costs for a renovation, and 12 to 18 % for new construction. The hourly rate runs from 120 to 300 CHF. Since 2020 the SIA fee schedule is no longer binding: everything is negotiated case by case.
Not entirely. Protected buildings in the UNESCO perimeter fall under the heritage office. Sandstone façades and certain original elements, including inside, can be subject to conditions or a preliminary enquiry. An interior designer who knows the place checks the building's status before designing.
The canton of Bern distinguishes buildings worth protecting from those worth preserving. For buildings worth protecting and those worth preserving that belong to a group (cantonal objects), the cantonal heritage office is responsible. Protection can extend inside, for example to staircases, floors or ceilings. The status can be checked online in the inventory.
It depends on the scope and status of the building. A simple refresh often requires nothing; a structural intervention or a measure on a protected object can require a municipal permit and a preliminary enquiry to the heritage office. The professional prepares the file for you.
Plan for a 10 to 20 % reserve for the unexpected, more for a medieval building with frequent surprises. Also keep in mind the mandatory asbestos survey before 1991. Without a margin and without a precise scope, overruns often reach 15 to 25 %.