City Center Friesenberg, Zürich (CH)

The settlement structure at Friesenberg shows a multitude of typological approaches from all decades in different scales. The project maintaines this heterogeneity on the one hand by, but on the other hand it also calmes it. In order to achieve a stronger interconnection of the centre with the surrounding neighbourhood, a development concept was chosen that places the greatest possible emphasis on’ centre’ in terms of meeting point, publicity, attractiveness and identification.
The striking tower at the corner of Schweighofstrasse/Borrweg as an identity-creating element introduces this idea and serves as a portal flank to the spacious district square. This is where a lively meeting place is created, visually enhanced by the protected park, which can be passed by the public, but is also a place of tranquillity.
The centre can be crossed not only in the longitudinal direction, but also from Schweighofstrasse to Arbentalstrasse thanks to the permeability of the buildings flanking the park. In this way, a network of the surrounding open spaces and exciting views of the city centre are created at differentiated points. The openings are offset to each other to calm the park in between by changing direction.