Zurich City university district

Planning topics

In addition to the master plan, the canton and city of Zurich have collaborated with the University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, and ETH Zurich to conduct two external pagedetailed studies on urban development.call_made

external pageFour areascall_made were explored in detail to form a basis for the subsequent planning activities: open spaces and green spaces, traffic and mobility (including an Downloadoveraching transport strategyvertical_align_bottom), energy supply, and environmental impacts.

The external pageurban space conceptcall_made was developed within the framework of an interdisciplinary study. The concept examines interstitial spaces (streets and open spaces) between the buildings.  The concept developed by ARGE Studio Vulcan & KCAP Architects & Planners improves the quality of the entire university campus.

The urban space concept also lies at the heart of the external pagewhite papercall_made. This paper provides guidelines for the further development of the university district and is an important tool for long-term quality assurance.

These urban space principles were also taken into account in the designs of the new buildings by Herzog & de Meuron (external pageForum UZHcall_made) and Christ & Gantenbein (external pageUSZ Ó¢»ÊÓéÀÖ MITTE1call_made).

In the centre of Zurich since 1855

ETH Zurich was founded in 1855. At that time it was known as a polytechnic (or university of technology). Its main building has stood on the edge of a slope above Zurich¡¯s old town since 1864. Since the beginning of its eventful history, ETH Zurich has been a national educational and research institution that boasts an international reputation, attracting researchers and talented individuals from all over the world and playing a key role in the development of forward-looking national infrastructures.

In addition to the main building, which has been rebuilt several times, the School of Agriculture and Forestry (1872¨C1874), the Chemistry Building (1884¨C1886), and the Machinery Laboratory (1897¨C1900, later extended) are evidence of the interplay between science and urban development that has been present right from the early days. In 2014, the LEE building became the first ETH Zurich building to open in the city centre in the 21st century.

The rise in technology and increasing digitalisation over the course of the 20th century, combined with the overall increase in the number of students and professors (see historical development, in German), have changed and increased the space required for teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. Accordingly, in 1955, at around the time of ETH Zurich¡¯s 100th anniversary celebrations, the first discussions surrounding the establishment of an ETH Zurich outpost at H?nggerberg began. Today, ETH Zurich runs a campus on the H?nggerberg and a campus in the city centre.