Covering a segment of an urban highway in the district of Schwamendingen will not only create one of the largest parks in Zurich, but will also profoundly transform the adjacent neighborhoods and housing properties. Establishing new planning guidelines for the parcels along the new ‘Ueberlandpark’ will enable the City of Zurich to adequately integrate the new park and infrastructure into the neighborhood, and – at the same time – allow sufficient latitude for future developments undertaken by the respective
private owners.

The new planning guidelines aimed at improving the quality of public spaces by offering different incentives that enable property owners to increase floor area ratios in return. The ‘bridge bonus’, for example, allows an increased floor area ratio if the owner connects the building with the elevated Ueberlandpark and thus creates access to public spaces. Similarly, if several owners cooperate to merge their land plots to develop a coherent urban design and open space strategy, they will be rewarded
with higher floor area ratios as well.

These guidelines are the result of an intensive series of events and discussions with all involved actors. Under the political mandate ‘Shaping the City and Neighborhoods Together’, the proposed planning measures were debated with the affected neighborhood association, private owners, housing cooperatives, and local citizens, ultimately ensuring solid support from all stakeholders.

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