The urbanisation of the fringes of the railway tracks at Zurich's main railway station is reminiscent of the cultivation of the lake shores in the 19th century. Just as harbour facilities, storage areas and fallow alluvial land were transformed into promenades and squares, the railway tracks are now recognised as a privileged location: centrally located, visible from many locations and benefiting from the wide view of the city's largest open space – besides the lake. The backside of the city becomes a frontside.
However, the building plots also have a second front, the one facing Zollstrasse. While the track area is characterised by the large scale, the street side belongs to the small-scale, close-knit perimeter block city of the 19th century. Strict rules apply to structural interventions here, while a greater degree of autonomy is possible on the side facing the railway tracks. Robust architecture is required in this urban location. The new buildings are therefore framed and supported by sturdy pillars made of brickwork. The closed wall sections are designed as element construction. In this way, permanent and interrupted elements in the façade are clearly differentiated and articulated.
