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„Blühende Pfingstweide“, Zurich

Once a cow pasture at Whitsun, then an industrial quarter, then an up-and-coming trendy neighbourhood. Today, where a new Hardbrücke centre is supposed to flourish, boredom and monotony loom. The „Blühende Pfingstweide“ (Whitsun willow in bloom) working group is fighting against the disappearance of the industrial era and in favour of a lively, urban and attractive Zurich West.

The south-eastern part of the Welti-Furrer site is currently dominated by a multi-storey car park, a warehouse and a car park. To the north-west, the commercial and office building „Prime 2“ dominates the site next to an old office building. Despite the conflict with the special utilisation plan, the city of Zurich approved Knecht Holding’s plans for two further identical new buildings, „Prime 1“ and „Prime 3“, designed by the Max Dudler architectural firm.

A lot has changed since the adoption of special utilisation planning twenty years ago. The climate crisis requires the conservation of grey energy and the integration of existing buildings into future plans. The former motorway planning on Pfingstweidstrasse is obsolete, and Zurich West has become a central area with housing requirements.

The „Blühende Pfingstweide“ working group initiated by the Hamasil Foundation developed a vision with the aim of creating a lively, green living and working space on the Welti-Furrer site. Instead of more boring office blocks, existing structures are to be repurposed, supplemented with a residential tower block and integrated into a green urban landscape. The vertical design also serves to solve the noise problem along Pfingstweidstrasse.

The project objectives focus on integrating the area into the urban fabric, emphasising diversity, contrasts and interaction areas. The realisation requires a residential proportion of at least 30 percent, whereby the working group envisages targeted greening to avoid increased sealing.

More about „Blühende Pfingstweide“

Project Details

Initiator
Hamasil Foundation
Location
Zurich
Internal Team
Christoph Kellenberger
External Team
Martin Hofer (Lead), Köbi Gantenbein (Lead), Kornelia Gysel (architect), Christoph Gysi (entrepreneur and activist), Richard Heim (urban planner), Stefan Rotzler (landscape architect), Alain Thierstein (professor of spatial development), Katja Weber (designer, entrepreneur) Rahel Arnold (illustrations), Peter Hauser (photography)
Year
2023
Typology
Culture, Master Plan, Office, Special Housing
Discipline
Urban Planning
Task
Remodeling, Repositioning, Site/Area Development
Status
Study

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