Parks in Neu Oerlikon

Parks in Neu Oerlikon, Zurich, Switzerland: MFO Park, Wahlen Park, Oerliker Park

Name	Parks in Neu Oerlikon
Place	Zurich
Country	Switzerland
Topic	Public space
Authors	Yvonne Keller, Lars Wolfer
Completion	2005
Client	Grünstadt Zürich
Project costs	Wahlen Park: 4 400 000 €, Oerliker Park & MFO- Park: unknown
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Rationale: Why is this case study interesting?

In the north of Zurich a new quarter developed: Neu (new-) Oerlikon. The planned urban development proceeded not as the foreseen 10 years. It has been allready realized in 5 years. That quarter is considered as a pioneer project. Large-scaled architectural competition was arranged for fastidious buildings and internationally considered places, partly already realized. Although the quater is international advertance, its inhabits deplore the missing life, anonymity, too few meeting places, the coldness of architecture and the too perfect parks.

Author's perspective

The projects in Neu Oerlikon have an invaluable value for landscape architecture in Switzerland in addition, particularly for the inhabitants of Zurich. The both authors live even in the agglomeration and have therefore personal purchases to the quarters developed again. Neu Oerlikon is an important topic for the open space designing of the city Zurich. However the inhabitants criticize the clinical atmosphere of the new quarters. For students of landscape architecture in Switzerland the parks of Neu Oerlikon was for a long time the main working on topic. Anywhere otherwise in Switzerland so many parks did not develop close together in the last years in such short time. By the precise and exact work with Neu Oerlikon in the study developed a partly very critical attitude opposite the new parks.

Landscape and/or urban context

Neu Oerlikon is in the north of Zurich and developed on a former industrial area. 12,000 new jobs and domiciles for 5,000 new inhabitants developed. There are three new main parks: Oerliker park, MFO park and Wahlen park. The organization of the parks reminds strongly of the former industrial use. orthogonal and geometrical alignments are coining for these. In the context of the rearrangement of zones of the industial zone in trade and apartment zone, a large pressure developed on the planners . They had to fulfill the edition to sufficient green area to create. Thus three different park types with special uses developed. The Wahlen park had to fulfill still the task of a schoolyard. The Oerliker park had to have the qualities of an accomodation park and besides an urban place character to obtain. The MFO park should have the multi-functionality of an event hall and besides offer free space for employed persons.

Cultural/social/political context

The inhabitants of Neu Oerlikon lived already in former times in the north from Zurich. Most moved from an old building into the current dwellings in new housing development. That means that the inhabitants are in the broadest sense social advancements. At the beginning the apartments were low priced to very low price, which partly changed now. Slowly a good mixing develops of offers:

• Simple rented apartments
• cooperative domicile
• offers for the elevated middle class
• a senior residence
• apartments for students.

The new quarter is no typical suburb because it is inhabited of different social classes.

History

Oerlikon was the seat of the formerly largest weapon factory of Switzerland. At that time the „Oerlikon-Bührle“ could owe the rearmament efforts around 1938 large orders secure itself and supplied both European-wide and until Asia. 1966 to 1969 on the area shooting tests with ammunition uranium-bearing were accomplished. 1999 the firing ranges were broken off and disposed of as special refuse. Today there is a park and a new family-friendly housing development. However it does not exist a danger for human’s health and environment. On this historical significant industrial area in the last 10 years an apartment and a service center were planned, which becomes in these days reality.

Spatial analysis of area/project/plan

The three parks have the common function to give green space and give quality of stay to the inhabitants. However each park has its own special functions, which differentiate it.

• MFO park

The MFO park is particularly characterised by possibility of the vista on the nearby quarters. Furthermore the event hall offers sufficient space for collective occasion like open-air cinema, theatre and vaudeville. In the midday it offers sufficiently place for the lunch. Its design remind by the structure to the industrial past as there was a factory building.

• Wahlen park

Although the Wahlen park is a public space, it takes over still the special dual function of schoolyard and sports field. In addition it creates urbanity by promenade next to the functional conditions.

• Oerliker park

The Oerliker park must fulfill the qualities of an urban place affected by traffic. A multi-functional pavilion with café offers adequate space to the users for personal development. As also in the MFO park, the vista is an important factor. A chimney-similar observation tower reminds of the industrial past.

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Core questions working group open spaces

How does the design of an open space contribute to a run down neighbourhood?

By the creation of new open spaces necessarily the quality of life rises and lets the rents spiraling. The socially weaker ones cannot afford and move partly. Thereby a mixing of elevated middle class and socially weaker develops next to the social misalignment.

How are open spaces linked to the adjacent areas?

The link to the adjacent afforded by a place corresponding design. Thereby the historical aspect forms the common basis for the composition of the three parks.

• MFO park

The cubature and the orthogonality of the MFO park correspond to the building structure of the adjacent buildings. Thereby it works not as a foreign body-like ensemble but as part of the quarter.

• Wahlen park

The adjacent school contributes substantially to the integration park into the neighbourhood. The amply dimension and orthogonale design of the Wahlen park insert themselves into the quarter.

• Oerliker park

The chimney-similar observation tower includes history. The future enormous tree volume and the orthogonality of the design correspond to the adjacent buildings.

By the localreferred design the open spaces are integrated into the environment. Thereby an identification of the users with the open space develops. It gets thereby an identity and the users accept it.

How are open spaces used?

The open spaces are all park for the quarters and mainly used by adjacent residents. People working in the neighbourhood spend there their lunch time.

Which elements make an open space successful and attractive?

For becoming a successful and attractive open space the design must according to the place. In addition it should be multi-functional, secured, user-oriented and resistant to vandalism.

How can the historical background of an open space be shown to the public?

For showing the historical background of an open space to the public the design elements must be easily comprehensible. Information signs are accepted only rarely by the users.

Core Questions Working Group Public Space and Civic Identity

Who was involved in the participation process?

The town planning of Neu Oerlikon was activated by office for town construction Zürich. It gave an advertisement and it participated several offices, witch are not in particular known. Planning was in several stages on different offices. The parks were an assignment of „Grünstadt Zürich“. The Oerliker Park and Louis Häfliger Park were orders for study The Wahlen Park and MFO Park were competitions.

The Oerliker Park was planned by Zulauf, Hubacher, Haerle.

The MFO Park was planned by Raderschall landscape architect.

The Wahlen Park was planned by Dipol landscape architects.

The Louis Häfliger Park was planned by Stephan Kuhn, Richard Trunninger landscape architect.

Participation of the population did not give it.

How was the participation process implemented (methods applied)?

The participation is limited to the competitions and orders for study

In how far does/did the project respond to people's needs?

The four parks would become the area after, that uncover need of the public free room. The artistic quality of the parks is very high. Because it concerns however some new city quarters, the parks are not bound yet sufficient. The inhabitants perceive the parks clean. The Wahlen park is supposed well and goes on the needs of the inhabitant on. It leigt directly next to a school and should serve in addition to park also as a school sport meadow. The schoolchildren and teenager use the park also in the leisure time. The MFO Park reminds strongly of the original buildings. The steel construction offers shadow and different levels to rest. This park offers further attractions such as Openair movie theater or temporarily art exhibitions or café. The Oerliker park is integrated at worst of all. The ash trees are yet small and contribute no shadow. The idea of the architects that the park users functioned do not change the park gradually. The users do not played with the stones or moved settee.

The lower utilization of the park is to be led back to the new quarters Oerlikon. Neu Oerlikon emerged within 5 years although 15 years were budgeted to the development. In this short time, the quarters were not able to develop yet an own character and becomes therefore very clinical and empty perceived. Stores and boutiques be missing, animate would become that the quarters and would have also a positive effect on the parks. On gives another little time the parks and places be used and appreciated.

Analysis of program/function

The functional characteristic of the parks in Neu Oerlikon is to offer nature to the population in the urbanism, and offering places of recovery. In particular the needs of the urban population of playing and moving areas, not only for mannered walking and using of some fewer intended entertainment places, were considered Typical for the parks are central, large ,connected and accessible play and sports areas and an accordingly reduced path network.

Analysis of design/planning process

The offices taken part by planning and organization were Schweingruber-Zulauf, Zurich, Dipol, Basel, Raderschall, Winterthur, Kuhn& Trunninger, Zurich, Grün Stadt Zurich.

Analysis of use/users

The main users are adjacents resident and workers spending their lunch time there. In the evening the MFO park is used by culturalinterested and young person. The Wahlenpark has apart of the park using the task of sports field and schoolyard. In the future the three parks will develop more and more to quarter parks. That means that the users will be increased the residents.

Future development directions

The parks are in the future strongly used. The sign of using did not take place yet. The patina is missing, but the patina of this life will show up there. That needs however still more time and a normal accomodation life will adjust themselves. The unimproved building fields will be built-up in the immediate future. The link from Alt to Neu Oerlikon will be better. Various ground floor uses develop. It will give an established population those already lives a generation long there. The children went in Neu Oerlikon to the school and are there deep-rooted. Neu Oerlikon will be owing to its parks an address in Switzerland.

Peer reviews or critique

Due to the development of the parks in the last years there still no analyses and success studies. Because of the meaning of the park for the agglomeration various articles in technical periodicals were published. These reports are only describing and not critical.

Points of success and limitations

The success of the three parks depends of the characteristics of the individual open spaces. Thus the MFO park is based on totally different design idea: the park on several floors, entwine around of climbers and usable as event hall. The success story of the Wahlenpark depends of its also multi-functional use: Schoolyard, sports field and quarter park. Rightfully many Users give their critically opinion that for example the shades dispenser does not shade or the sport meadow is not a park meadow. The large acceptance of the Oerlikerpark depends on the fact that it is in the broadest sense also a square. However its popularity will not develop until the trees are full-grown. That tree volume will give the picture to the park that the visitors today maybe are missing.

What can be generalized from this case study?

• Are there any important theoretical insights?

Short statement plus background notes

Which research questions does it generate?

Short statement plus background notes

Image Gallery

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  Former Industrial Area in Oerlikon

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  Oerliker Park - bowery in grid

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  Schoolyard Wahlen Park

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  Buildings next to the Oerliker Park

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  MFO Park

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  MFO Park

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References

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