Zurich voters face choice over future high-rise rules

Voters in the city of Zurich are deciding between two sets of rules for future high-rise construction, SRF reports. The proposals focus on where buildings up to 40 metres high should be permitted, while also setting rules for buildings of up to 60 and 80 metres.

The city government wants to keep the overall high-rise zones roughly the same size as today while expanding the areas where buildings between 25 and 40 metres can be built. The city parliament wants to reduce the zones substantially and allow 40-metre buildings only at selected locations.

Both proposals are amendments to Zurich’s building and zoning ordinance. Voters can accept or reject each proposal separately. If both pass, a separate tie-breaker question will determine which version takes effect.

Two approaches to high-rise construction

Proposal A, backed by the city parliament, would reduce the high-rise zones more sharply, particularly those for buildings of up to 40 metres. It would require a design plan approved by the city parliament for buildings from 60 metres upwards. All high-rise projects would also have to undergo a competition procedure.

Under the proposal, any additional permitted floor space created through a design plan would have to be used entirely for affordable housing. The rules for communal spaces, ground floors and affordable homes would also be stricter.

Proposal B, supported by the city government, would leave the overall high-rise zone roughly as large as it is today. It would expand the areas for buildings between 25 and 40 metres, including parts of Schwamendingen, Seebach, Affoltern and Albisrieden. An additional design plan would be required only for buildings higher than 80 metres.

Both proposals would reduce the area in which buildings of up to 80 metres are allowed and introduce a new zone for buildings up to 60 metres. The high-rise zones would remain “possibility zones”, meaning that construction would still be allowed only if a specific project is considered suitable for its location.

Neither proposal would increase the amount of floor space that may be built.

Dispute over housing and densification

The proposals do not automatically create more housing. The city of Zurich explicitly says that neither would increase the permitted level of construction. The debate instead centres on how much high-rises can contribute to urban densification.

“We need densification, and high-rises are a good instrument for that,” said Sebastian Vogel, a city parliament member from the FDP.

SVP city parliament member Reto Brüesch disagreed. “If I have 1,000 square metres now, I am allowed to build on 900 of them, regardless of whether I build upwards or outwards. Building outwards is cheaper, and that makes the apartments cheaper,” he said.

The 40-metre zones are particularly controversial. The FDP, GLP and Centre party view them as a tool for inner-city development and housing construction. The SP, Greens, AL and SVP fear displacement and higher costs.

SP city parliament member Marco Denoth called 40 metres an “unfavourable height” because additional technical requirements apply from 30 metres. He said high-rises required longer-term and more intensive planning by the authorities because of their prominence, adding that higher buildings should meet higher quality standards.

For comparison, Zurich’s four Hardau towers rise between 72 and 93 metres. The Prime Tower, at 126 metres, is the city’s tallest building. The 187-metre television tower on the Uetliberg is a technical tower and is therefore not counted as the tallest building.