Creating tomorrow’s legacy
© ETH Foundation / Daniel Winkler
Creating tomorrow’s legacy
Annekäthi Bischoff and Jörg Wilhelm have come to a clear understanding of the social impact they want to make. At ETH Zurich, they support female students who would otherwise be unable to afford a university education.
Mr Wilhelm, your interest in architecture brought you to ETH in the 1970s – what was your experience as a student back then?
JÖRG WILHELM – What I particularly remember was the strong protest against the move to the Hönggerberg campus. After spending a year in the temporary facilities at Globus, I too felt it was inappropriate to relocate the architecture department to the outskirts of the city. Unlike today, there wasn’t much life on campus back then. I was also deeply influenced by lecturers with a humanistic outlook.
After many years working for the Hochbauamt (Building Authority) in Bern, how did your connection with ETH resume?
JW – Let me go back a little: in 1927, my grandfather – or rather his company Nago in Olten – invented the cocoa drink Banago, which enjoyed cult status until the 1980s. Alongside their business skills, both my grandfather and my father had a strong sense of social responsibility. In the 1930s, my grandfather set up a pension fund and made substantial donations to organisations such as the Frauenverein women’s association, while my father dedicated a lot of his time to volunteer work. My wife and I don’t have children, and our finances are strong. That led us to think deeply about the enduring legacy we wish to create for when we’re no longer here. We were clear that our wealth should have an impact – and one that aligns with our family values. In addition to our own foundations, we created a named fund with the ETH Foundation. Named after Banago’s former advertising figure, the Nagoli-Fonds supports students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to study at ETH – with a particular focus on women.
“Our named fund relieves us of the administrative burden but still allows us to make a real difference to a cause of our choice.”
ETH Foundation donor
What advantage is there in having your own fund at ETH Foundation?
JW – From our own experience running foundations, we know how much work goes into reviewing and deciding on applications – and how much administration that incurs. Our named fund relieves us of this workload but still allows us to make a real difference to a cause of our choice. The ETH Foundation provides professional reporting and, if we so wish, arranges meetings with supported students.
Ms Bischoff, you started off in nursing, later worked as a healthcare consultant and have always been involved in volunteering – what motivates you?
ANNEKÄTHI BISCHOFF – Volunteering is the glue that holds society together. It’s a sign of prosperity, as you give something back to society without directly receiving anything in return – I see it as contributing something to the bigger picture. When I was growing up, my family all did volunteer work; I myself started at 16. At the moment, I run a singing programme for older people. For them, singing together is a moment of agency, where they’re not affected by their decline. They feel a deep sense of joy.
You’re only now getting to know ETH through your involvement – what’s your impression?
AB – At ETH I’m encountering topics that I find fascinating and that make perfect sense to me – things like socio-architecture or circular construction. We’ve come across these subjects in our own building project from the practical side, and now at ETH we’re seeing the academic perspective. I find this research into progress incredibly impressive – you have to think beyond boundaries to make development possible, and that’s exactly what happens here.
Tell us about your building project!
JW – My wife’s 70-year-old family home with two small flats on a large plot of land was in need of attention. Our vision was to create a project that fully embodied the principles of the circular economy, accessibility and intergenerational living. One of the keys was using solid wood construction. We were drawn to the idea of circularity – right down to glue-free kitchens. Five of the six units are now rented out, but we’ve kept the studio vacant. We want to use it for demonstration purposes, as we’re hoping others will follow our lead.
So you’ve reached a major milestone – what comes next?
AB – This project really pushed us to our limits last year. Now we’d like to take things a bit easier and enjoy more time together in the present. We also want to give more attention again to our own foundations and to my project Singing knows no age.
© ETH Foundation / Daniel Winkler
