University area Zurich Center

Further development of the master plan "Future of Zurich as a university location", focus on university medicine and ETH Zurich, study contract. 2013-2014

PROCEDURE
In-depth study using the selective procedure, 2013-2014

CLIENT
Project organization Strategic Development Planning USZ UZH ETH
Project support: Planpartner AG, Zurich

CONTRACTOR
Architect: Fawad Kazi Architekt GmbH, Zurich
Landscape architect: vetschpartner Landschaftsarchitekten AG, Zurich
Traffic planning: RAPP Infra AG, Basel
Logistics planning: RAPP OTB AG, Basel
Hospital planning: IBG - Institut für Beratungen im Gesundheitswesen, Aarau
Laboratory planning: PGMM Schweiz AG, Winterthur

TEAM
Fawad Kazi Architekt GmbH:
Fawad Kazi, Luzius Stiefel, Fabian Markel, Stefano Murialdo, Luca Riolfo

KEY DATA
Location: City of Zurich, Zurich city center university area
Context: Historically grown university and hospital site in the city center of Zurich
Content: Study of expansion measures, further development of the "Future of Zurich as a university location" master plan by Christophe Girot from 2005
Objective: Specification of the framework conditions for the continuous structural implementation of the expansion measures
Time horizon: 2050
Uses: University, University Hospital
Perimeter: approx. 30 ha
Main increase in usable space: approx. 100,000 m2

PHOTOS, VISUALIZATIONS
Fawad Kazi Architekt GmbH

URBAN CONSTRUCTION / ARCHITECTURE
The prominent location of the planned new university hospital, university and ETH buildings as part of Zurich's urban crown requires a sensitive urban development strategy with regard to the planned densification.

This article takes an approach based on the existing building structures of the Zurich university district:

25 m - plinth
On the one hand, a plinth building mass with a maximum height of 25 m is established, which continues the existing urban texture and thus primarily characterizes the immediate street and open spaces. Due to the planned building height and number of storeys, these are explicitly not buildings with high-rise requirements.

75 m - towers
On the other hand, selective high-rise buildings with a maximum height of 75 m are planned as a continuation of the existing structural accentuation of important buildings within the quarter (dome of the ETH main building, chimney of the ETH-ML building, University tower, University Hospital House North).

The aim is to create a simple and therefore resistant concept for the long term of the planned building developments.

ORGANIZATION
Plinth
The plinth floors primarily house highly installed functions such as emergency and intensive care units, operating theatres and radiology. The storey height of 5 m allows these areas to be used extremely flexibly, even in the long term.

Towers
The towers are primarily occupied by nursing wards and building services. The standard floor plan of the nursing ward meets the requirements for a double ward. The structure and storey height allow for a variety of other usage scenarios (offices, semi-public uses).

HOSPITAL PLANNING
All highly installed uses are housed in the base storeys, which have a storey height of 5 meters. The main access to these floors for visitors and outpatients is via a boulevard that connects the main entrance and the entrance on Schmelzbergstrasse. The boulevard also provides access to outpatient clinics, administration, teaching and research areas in the existing buildings.

The access cores (stairwells and elevator groups) are positioned in such a way that traffic flows are consistently separated both in the base and via the high-rise buildings:
- Outpatients and visitors
- Staff and patients in beds
- Logistics (supply and disposal of materials)

ETAPPIERUNG
Stage 0
The first building block in the renovation of the university hospital is a 25-metre-high volume along Schmelzbergstrasse. This will primarily accommodate medium-installed uses and sets the course for further realization steps (castling principle).

Stage 1
As part of stage 1, a new building will be constructed in the eastern area of the perimeter, which will include the new main access (including delivery and car parking) for the entire core area. The building will be differentiated into a base and tower structure and assigned corresponding uses (base - high installation / tower - medium installation).

Above the new Sternwartstrasse, on the corner of Schmelzbergstrasse, a volume for the USZ and ETH will be constructed to complete stage 1. This volume also contains the technical center for the ETH-ETZ building.

Stage 2
In stage 2, the first two stages are combined with the existing building to form a coherent overall complex. The principle of base and tower will be continued.

A solution without a temporary solution is being sought for the new emergency (the existing emergency will remain in operation during the construction period).

Stage 3
Stage 3 includes extensions for the USZ and ETH in the area of the current Haus Nord 1 and 2.

PLANNING RULES
With regard to the further development of the university quarter, the most important (possible) planning rules are outlined below, which could be laid down in the legal framework:

Plinth buildings
- max. 25 m (below high-rise building boundary)
- green and accessible roof garden (park)
- max. 20% of the roof area can be used as building services area (solitary buildings)
- definition of shell volume

Tower buildings
- max. 75 m (maximum height corresponds to Tower House North)
- staggered structures (avoidance of slice effects)
- definition of shell volume

Open spaces
- Spitalpark and the observatory garden are secured as open spaces
- Definition of the street and building alignments of Sternwartestrasse

Monument protection
- the park-side building fabric of the USZ should be preserved
- the demolition of the ETH LFW building should be examined

OPEN SPACE
The full expansion will establish the following five types of open space in the development perimeter:
- Spitalpark as a central public open space
- Spitalterrasse as a new open space level on the base of the new building
- Spital- und Hochschul-Plaza as part of a chain of small squares along the streets
- Sternwarte garden as part of a sequence of urban gardens
- Strassenraum Sternwartstrasse as a boulevard-like meeting zone

The rough layout is based on the creation of three boulevard-like access routes:
– Sternwartstrasse Boulevard (new Sternwartstrasse road space)
– Park Boulevard (along Rämi- and Gloriastrasse)
– Hospital Boulevard (boulevard inside the building)

The fine development creates a network between the boulevards and the superordinate path connections. Building passages between the hospital boulevard and the hospital park create permeability. A pathway through the park provides access to the entrance hall from the park side. The park boulevard creates a mediating and guiding open space between the hospital park and the adjoining pathways.

EXISTING OPEN SPACE SITUATION
- Women's Hospital / Observatory terrace
- Spitalpark
- Rämistrasse squares

NEW OPEN SPACE SITUATION
- New street space Sternwartstrasse
- New garden observatory
- Open space on the base of the new building as a large garden and green fifth façade
- Extension of hospital park (removal of parking lot)
- Addition of plazas with university and hospital plaza

OPEN SPACE STRUCTURE
Hospital terrace:
- green space on the base of the building
- basic structure consisting of a space-creating layer of vegetation
- garden spaces and viewing terraces
Hospital park:
- green space in mature terrain with a large stock of trees
- reconstruction and reinterpretation of the grounds
- redesign of the area bordering the street (park boulevard and university plaza)

TRANSPORTATION / LOGISTICS
MIV
Motorized private transportation currently runs along Rämistrasse and will continue to do so in the future. In principle, access to the parking garages is located as close as possible to the edge of the plot, near Rämistrasse.

Public transport
The streetcar lines 6 (Bahnhof Enge - Zoo), streetcar line 5 (Laubegg - Fluntern Church), streetcar line 9 (Hirzenbach - Triemlispital) and streetcar line 10 (Bahnhofplatz|HB - Zurich Airport) are the main public transport routes to the university hospital.

PTS - Passenger Transport System
As part of the planned construction measures within the Zurich university district, it is proposed to provide an underground connection between the main railway station, the main buildings of ETH and the university, Rämistrasse and finally the university hospital. On the one hand, this would provide a highly efficient passenger connection and, at the same time, relieve traffic congestion above ground.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONNECTION - SCENARIO 1
- Synergies with Weinberg Tunnel
- New station Hochschulquartier-Universitätsspital

PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONNECTION - SCENARIO 2
- New underground passenger transport system
- From the main railway station via ETH/University and Rämistrasse to the University Hospital

CONNECTION
Creation of three boulevards:
- Sternwartestrasse Boulevard
- Hospital Boulevard (inside the building)
- Park Boulevard (along Rämi and Gloriastrasse)
Access points:
- Main entrance Gloriastrasse
- Side entrance Schmelzbergstrasse and Spitalpark

Tagged architecture