CHAIR OF ARCHITECTURE
AND URBAN DESIGN —
PROF. KEES CHRISTIAANSE

TEACHING

DESIGN STUDIO FS11 ZURICH-NORD

ZURICH-NORTH

New Patterns of Urbanization in Zurich

The form of urbanization has changed radically over the last few years. Many new urban landscapes have emerged in the most varied places and differ drastically from previous urban forms. Complexly structured polycentric metropolitan regions are developing that sprawl far into what had once been rural areas. The northern section of Zurich is a fascinating example of this trend. These new urban developments are highly multifarious and complex, on both a research perspective level as well as in practice. An additional consequence of this comprehensive transformation is the processes that led to a loss of trusted urban forms. At the same time, new spaces, structures, and protagonists emerge.

Urban Design Studio

Which new potentials lie in these urban processes? How will our built and living environment transform over time? Zurich North (the tri-city area of Kiloton, Zurich, and Dübendorf) will serve as a test area for which teams of students will develop different design scenarios and future projects based on precise observations of the given situation, interviews with involved persons, and the pursued overall concepts. To achieve this goal, spatial-structural and sociological methods of analysis will be applied. The objectives of the semester are the creation of radical projects and a comparative discussion on chances and risks of the different approaches. The results form the basis and the main components of the national research project “Neue Urbane Qualitäten” (New Urban Qualities), as well as the research platform “Airports & Cities.”

Organizational Information

- Introduction: Tuesday, 02.22.2011, HIL H Foyer, 10:00am
- Credit points: 10 + 2

Integrated Disciplines: Sociology

- Prof. Christian Schmid, Dr. Philipp Klaus
- Credit points: 2

Contact

boucsein @ arch.ethz.ch

kretz @ arch.ethz.ch

wagner @ arch.etz.ch