Since 2006, authority-binding site planning sheets have governed the planning of Zurich’s 48 neighbourhood centres — originally focused on pedestrian traffic. Requirements have since expanded: neighbourhood centres are now key locations for services, social interaction, employment, and recreation. The 2022 municipal structure plan updated these requirements, yet the site planning sheets still reflect the 2006 baseline.
On behalf of the City of Zurich, we analysed how the existing site planning sheets had been applied in practice and what impact they had on specific planning decisions. The goal was to update the sheets in line with the new 2022 structure plan requirements — supporting vibrant, multifunctional neighbourhood centres that enable mobility, everyday services, open space, and quality of life simultaneously.
Client: Civil Engineering Office, City of Zurich
Collaboration: For Kontextplan in collaboration with AMJGS and Holinger
Year: 2023/24
Four neighbourhood centres were selected for evaluation, examined in three ways:
- Traffic planning analysis — comparing measures specified in the planning sheets with actual on-site developments
- Online survey and expert interviews — gathering input from municipal project managers and former contractors
- Site visits — providing the basis for the traffic planning analysis and for developing the survey and interview guides
The need for action and revision was documented in a report, providing a foundation for a contemporary update of the site planning sheets.
