Initial situation
Only a few minutes away from downtown Zurich, in the newly booming district at the foot of the Üetliberg mountain, an urban vision is emerging: Greencity. It is to be Zurich’s first 'zero carbon' district. In Greencity, living, working and acting in a sustainable, environmentally aware fashion fuse to form a new urban lifestyle, created for the ‘2,000-Watt-Society’. A small hydroelectric power plant provides residential and commercial buildings with CO2-neutral energy. Not a vision, but reality very soon. Thus the goals for sustainability will be secured well beyond the building phase.

Concept
The repurposed former spinning works, the factory canal, the old power station and the water tower will celebrate the area’s industrial past and lend the area its distinctive identity. A healthy mix of living, office and shopping areas will emerge, as well as day care centers, schools and facilities for the elderly. This guarantees a lively community life, where families are welcome. This unique location in the intact natural landscape of the Sihl Valley, offering direct connections to Zurich’s main station and airport, make Greencity both a place for comfortable homes and an attractive place to work in an inspiring ambience.

Realization
In addition to private residential buildings, three building parcels will be reserved for non-profit developers, which guarantees a policy of reasonable rental costs. This will enable larger families, elderly residents requiring assisted living and many other residents with special requirements to find their home here as well. In order to guarantee excellent energy performance, the highly compacted office buildings will offer multi-story atriums and winter gardens. Greencity – an ideal location for businesses that view acting responsibly as an important element of their business culture.