Designed by Albert Heinrich Steiner in 1948 as a garden city, Schwamendingen has recently been characterised by densification and through traffic. The city of Zurich has developed an action plan to revitalise the neighbourhood. A significant milestone has been reached with the enclosure of the motorway. Over the next 30 years, the existing residential estates will be replaced with new buildings. The Schuppis estate was the first to be renovated, featuring folding roller shutters from Regazzi.
The garden city concept is reflected in the street names: Rosewiesen-, Altwiesen-, Kronwiesen-, Glattwiesen-, Grosswiesen-, Luchswiesen-, Heidwiesen-, Kreuzwiesen-, Wechselwiesen- and Tulpenstrasse. Schwamendingen is also characterised by a high proportion of green space. Located between the motorway and expressways on one side and the Zürichberg on the other, Zurich's 12th district is defined by its suburban nature. The residential district continues to improve in terms of quality of life with the motorway enclosure and the Ueberlandpark planted on top of it.
Creating sustainable living spaces
The population of Zurich is growing steadily, and Schwamendingen is becoming an increasingly popular place to live. Over the next 30 years, post-war housing estates will be adapted to meet changing usage requirements in a sustainable manner. One such estate is 'Schuppis', which was completed in 2023. While retaining its garden city character, the estate has more than doubled in size to meet the increased demand for housing.
A new take on terraced housing: the Schuppis Garden City Estate
The result is six rows of buildings, each 90 metres long and free-standing. Despite their size, they do not appear bulky thanks to their curved and perspectively shortened design. The flats face the green spaces to the east and west. Offsets in the façades also provide views to the north and south. Windows facing in all directions and spacious balconies allow plenty of light into the apartments. The open, loose development ensures optimal sunlight.
Plial® enables the amount of light entering the room to be adjusted individually.
A total of 581 roller shutters from Regazzi were fitted to the 109 flats in the three residential blocks of Schuppis II. Plial® can be fitted into the smallest of niches and does not require a box. To match the delicate façade design, the client opted for roller shutters without corner elements. This elegant solution from BS+EMI Architektenpartner showcases the flexible design options that roller shutters offer. The nine-millimetre slat spacing allows plenty of light and air into the living space while providing a view of the outside. This is also in line with the concept of the new buildings in the garden settlement: to maintain privacy while retaining permeability. The special colour chosen harmonises perfectly with the finely modulated wall panels.
The façade and roller shutters are designed to complement each other.
Returning to the past as a step forward
The post-war garden city concept is back and ready for the future. Green residential areas prevent the formation of heat islands and reduce high temperatures. The city of Zurich is setting an example in the Schwamendingen district that could prove pioneering in the era of global warming.