Greenhouse, ETH Hönggerberg Zürich

Development of Greenhouse Facility for University Research Purposes

The Albert-Steiner-Garten, located in the oldest part of the Hönggerberg campus, is a protected historical landmark which includes buildings for physics, biology and infrastructure from the 1960s and 1970s. Here, one can still experience and comprehend the original concept of Steiner’s campus, especially the weaving and blending of landscape and architecture as its central theme. Therefore, the intertwining of the garden with the neighbouring forest is to be preserved.

The design for the new HPY greenhouse complex is embedded within the terrain in order to preserve the connective green corridor to the Käferberg forest. The landscape flows above the buildings and only the roof of the greenhouse protrudes out of the meadow in a pavilion like configuration. The inner courtyard, which appears to be carved out of the landscape, is located between the existing greenhouse and the new structure. The filigreed façade-band forms a closure to the courtyard and generates a vis-à-vis situation to the existing building. The corridor behind it, which connects the laboratories and the greenhouses, creates a link to the surrounding exterior and functions as a meeting area. Interdisciplinary exchange is encouraged, especially through the roofed walkways in the garden that link the different neighboring department buildings.

By lowering the courtyard, the entrance and delivery of the building can be accessed through the ground level using the Hönggerbergring. A sliding door controls access from the Hönggerbergring to the HPY building. The entrance to the building is at the front of the laboratory area and is accessed through a spacious foyer with a cloakroom. Delivery and storage are located in the adjacent area.

The corridor is the central spatial feature of the building. All rooms of the laboratory area and the greenhouses are connected, barrier-free, through the corridor. The north façade allows natural daylight to enter all year round. The façade can be easily replaced in case of expansion since it is non-loadbearing, curtain-type.

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