Jane Jacobs once famously wrote that cities are as natural as “colonies of prairie dogs or beds of oysters”. Cities thus are just the latest of evolution’s transformation of the environment by natural organisms – us. And our most urgent need is access.
In cities we find jobs, meet people, enjoy culture, get in contact with ideas or purchase the things we need for daily life. Cities are catalysts for human interactions the sum of which we variously call economy, culture or public life. Cities are defined by an ecology of access.
We experience the degree of accessibility, the sense of mobility and ease with which we satisfy our needs, as quality of life. Borrowing a term from plant sociology we speak of a “Standortmosaik”, the diverse mix of places formed by locational factors resulting in spatial diversity, mix of social milieus or synergy between different value chains which economists refer to as “quality of location”.
Accessibility in cities is a function of proximity, functional diversity and infrastructure. Contemporary cities are formed by increasingly powerful infrastructures. City and countryside are merging into the urban landscape of the metropolitan region. Such a region is defined by function and the division of work of its constituent, coopetitive parts. As a whole it competes in the global market of locations.
Transcending administrative boundaries and individual agendas, metropolitan regions are difficult to plan. The “image of the region” which we developed for the “Metropolitankonferenz Zürich” aims to communicate the features of this region to a diverse group of stakeholders and give its planning a strategic base.
We describe the image as the combination of structure, gestalt and form: The structure of the region is defined by the terrain, by zoning and most importantly infrastructure. Structure is controlled by the spatial and infrastructure planning of the cantons. Its gestalt is based on the identities of the different villages, quarters or neighborhoods, and their potential for change. This potential we defined by reserves of building land and transport capacity, and by the elasticity of a local identity when changing. Form is in the domain of the architects or landscape architects and includes public spaces, parks, streets or landmark buildings.
The metropolitan region thus is seen as an archipelago of form in a sea of gestalt organized by the currents of structure.
Schaefer, Markus: “’Standortmosaik Zürich’ or The Ecology of Access” in: Anthos 2/2011, June 2011
Download PDFPrimary School Christoph Merian, Basel, 2019 –
Current phase: construction project
Airport Engadine, St. Moritz, 2020 –
Current phase: construction project
Mobility Hub, Zug, 2019 –
Future Parking Facility with retail component
Current phase: execution
Station Square and Roof, Herisau 2015 –
Current phase: public vote
MEWA-Areal, Wädenswil, 2018 –
Transformation Project from the former industrial estate to the mixed-use development with housing
Current phase: framework plan
Viererfeld, Bern, 2018 –
Housing
Current phase: on hold
Office Renovation, Zug, 2020 –
Current phase: execution
House Renovation, Zug, 2020 –
Current phase: preliminary design
Wilhelmsburg Rowing Club, 2020 –
Current phase: preliminary design
Cooperative Housing, Wetzikon, 2020 –
Current phase: preliminary design
House Renovation, Geneva, 2021 –
Current phase: preliminary design
Salina Raurica / Salinenhofquartier, Pratteln, 2018 –
Current state: urban framework plan
Metalli, Zug, 2017 –
Current state: urban framework plan
Tech Cluster Zug, 2015 –
Current state: transformation plan
Elbinselquartier Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg, 2015 –
Current state: design guidelines
Bahnstadt Nürtingen, 2017 –
Current state: design manual
Urban Space Development Concept for SBB Basel Station, 2018 –
Current state: public consultation
KNZ Wil West, Thurgau / St. Gallen, 2011 –
Current state: urban framework plan
Station Area Dietikon, 2019 –
Current state: study with recommendation for further development
Areal Dübendorf, 2020 –
Current state: study
Areal Oerlikon, 2020 –
Current state: study
Areal Dierikon, 2015 –
Current state: urban framework plan
Station Herisau, 2013 –
Current state: areal development
Innovation Park Bergedorf, 2020 –
Current state: urban framework
Seetalstrasse Meierhöfli Emmen, 2020 –
Current state: test planning
ZHA, Boulevard, Hönggerberg Campus, 2020 –
Current state: ongoing (with Studio Vulkan)
Herrliberg-Feldmeilen station, 2020 –
Current state: study
Port City Riga, 2020 –
Current state: Urban design commission
Wankdorffeldstrasse, Bern, 2020 –
Current state: urban design study
St-Karli Brückenköpfe und Reussinsel, Luzern, 2020 –
Current state: urban design study
Campus Bochum, 2018 –
Current state: urban framework plan
Masterplan HB / Central 2050, Zurich, 2020 –
Current state: test planing (with Studio Vulkan)
cividi gmbh – civic data intelligence, 2019 –
Digital tools for the analogue city
Current state: ongoing
The Industrious City – Book Publication, 2017 –
(Lars Müller Publishers)
Published / available on Lars Müller Publishers website and in bookstores.
Workplace Area Development, Winterthur, 2019 –
Current state: ongoing
Network strategy 2040 and
future public transport 2050, Zurich, 2020 –
Current state: ongoing (with IBV Hüsler)