Cultural space: Helve tica, design capital, L e Corbusier, Landiwi ese, lake theater, per formance, cluster ap artment, more than h ousing, Heureka, inte raction, quality of life curator, dream world production, heart an d soul, non-places, m apping, light, ZĂźrich, Switzerland. Themed Dossier 07  #visitzurich
Why a Themed Dossier? Discover people and stories from Zurich that are as diverse as the city they call home – people who are shaping Zurich through their work and creativity. These short reports will offer you an initial insight into this diversity. We hope they will inspire you to make a research trip to Zurich. We would be delighted to put you in contact with the people who feature in the portraits. The text and photos are royalty-free and available free of charge to editorial staff and journalists (source: Zürich Tourism). Additional images are available to download at ➡ zuerich.com/themeddossier
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Preface According to the Financial Times, Zurich is “the city of bankers and artists.” The paper’s assertion is right on the money: did you know that more people in the Swiss banking city earn their daily bread in creative industries than in the finance sector? The creative city of Zurich is a popular hub for artists working in a host of different fields – graphic designers, fashion designers, musicians, filmmakers, authors, directors, journalists, architects and many more. This is doubtless thanks to Zurich’s international character and its high quality of life – one of the highest worldwide.
Zurich’s creative every-day life. They are the passionate theater makers who inspire thousands of spectators every year on the Landiwiese and in a floating theater. They are the artists who use light installations to transform ordinary facades into new spaces and who curate artworks in public areas. They are the people who make space for others, passing on the art and history of industrial and graphic design through interdisciplinary teaching, or listening to the dreams and ideas of fellow citizens as they transform our shared future. Happy reading!
Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) is one of the largest universitites of the arts in Europe, offering advanced studies in the fields of art, design, music, mediation, theater, film, dance and transdisciplinary studies. The architectural studies program at ETH is also renowned beyond Switzerland’s borders, and the national film industry is concentrated here in Zurich. In this feature file, we will introduce you to six people and stories that are shaping
Martin Sturzenegger CEO Zürich Tourism
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Contents Room for Design – Christian Brändle, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich Pages 8 – 11
The Theater Meadow – Matthias von Hartz, Zürcher Theater Spektakel Pages 12 – 15
Room for the Future – Anna Haller, Hunziker-Areal Pages 16 – 19
Curator of Public Space – Christoph Doswald, KiöR Pages 20 – 23
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A Floating Dream – Herzbaracke Pages 24 – 27
Transformable Spaces – Roman Beranek, Projektil Pages 28 – 31
Related Links, Districts of Zurich Pages 34 – 35
Imprint & Contact Details Page 36
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Room for Design – Christian Brändle, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich Zurich is one of Europe’s design capitals. The Museum für Gestaltung is a true center of excellence in the field. Its three sites are individual, young and dynamic – just like their director. 9
It’s hard to keep pace with Christian Brändle. He makes his way swiftly through corridors, opening a door here, finding a shortcut there, switching on a light and then resuming his flurry of activity. The director of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich loves his sites – you can tell straight away. He knows every nook and cranny of the museum’s original site on Ausstellungsstrasse, and shares amazing facts about the exhibits as he passes by. When he talks about the Toni Areal site or the Pavillon Le Corbusier, it becomes clear that this is a man who has found his calling. And yet, he never thought he would end up in Zurich.
there to be interaction between the public and design.” Highlights from the collection of more than 500,000 objects are displayed at the museum’s original site. This includes an entire exhibition area where visitors can sit down and take a break on Swiss design classics. Visitors learn from up close what design is and how it works. There are also graphic design, design and photography exhibitions aimed at the general public. “This makes sense, given our location close to the main railway station and the city center,” Brändle explains. “The recently renovated Modernist building alone is a good reason to stop by,” he adds.
Zurich is like mercury – fast, changeable and adaptable.
The second site is located in a former milk factory in Zurich-West, now an educational and cultural center that also houses the campus of Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). The museum’s changing exhibitions provide a bridge to the world of teaching and research and put innovative projects on display. The collection archive at the Toni Areal site is home to the world’s largest collection of Le Corbusier furniture, amongst other objects.
As a Basel native, he wasn’t exactly Zurich’s biggest fan. Reluctantly, he set off for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), which is renowned for its rigorous architectural studies program. “However,” says Brändle with a smile, “Zurich won me over straight away. It’s an international city, diverse and open. People from around the world come to meet, exchange knowledge, learn from one another to then part ways again. Zurich is like mercury – fast, changeable and adaptable.” One of the reasons why Swiss graphic art is so successful around the world, according to Brändle, is because “Swiss precision encounters influences from around the world and is then sent out again. An example is the Helvetica typeface developed by the Zurich native Max Miedinger, which is used in the signage at every New York City subway station.”
Brändle is particularly looking forward to welcoming the latest addition to the museum’s family: The City of Zurich has asked the Museum für Gestaltung to take over the Pavillon Le Corbusier, which will reopen to the public in 2019 following extensive renovations. “It’s a walk-through sculpture,” says Brändle. Located right on the shores of Lake Zurich, it was the last building to be designed by the famous architect. Alongside the architectural experience, the Pavillon’s primary focus is on showcasing Le Corbusier’s creative work. “And conveniently enough,” adds Brändle with a smile of satisfaction, “the tram number 4 connects all three of these centers for design and graphic art.”
Brändle became director of the Museum für Gestaltung in 2003, at just 33 years of age. “At the time, I said to myself: ‘He who dares wins’. And it worked,” he says with a smile. This daring young attitude has prevailed at the museum’s sites ever since. “This isn’t a solemn place where you shrink back from the art on display. We want
Museum für Gestaltung Zürich welcome@museum-gestaltung.ch pavillon-le-corbusier.ch museum-gestaltung.ch
Contact Details
Museum für Gestaltung Zürich museumgestaltung 11
The Theater Meadow – Matthias von Hartz, Zürcher Theater Spektakel The Zürcher Theater Spektakel is as much a part of a Zurich summer as public pools and neighborhood parties. For 40 years, this international theater festival with an idyllic location has been captivating guests both young and old. 13
“I‘ve been going to the Theater Spektakel since I was a kid.” This is a sentence you’ll hear from many a Zurich resident when asking them about the festival by the lake. For Matthias von Hartz, the event’s new artistic director, this isn’t surprising. “This temporary and very beautiful artistic space emerges in a picturesque location on the shores of Lake Zurich. Everyone thinks to themselves: ‘There really are no problems here, the world is beautiful.’” The Zürcher Theater Spektakel is one of the major European theater festivals. Over a three-week period, it offers a platform for numerous performances in more than 40 productions. This adds up to between 100 and
A temporary and truly beautiful artificial space emerges right by the water. 120 theater and dance performances per season. In this respect, it is superficially quite similar to other festivals. The event location, on the other hand, is unique: The Landiwiese, located right on the shores of Lake Zurich, is one of the reasons the three-week festival is an unmissable event for so many Zurich residents. Every year, the meadow is transformed into a multifaceted paradise. Next to the performances on the specially constructed festival stages, you might find as many as 40 traveling performers and street artists plying their trade on a sunny day. There’s everything from the fire-breather to a mime to the legendary carousel the showman packs into his little car at the end of the festival before driving to the next event. There’s also an elegant taxi-boat, romantic fairy lights reflected in the lake, spectacular sunsets, pop-up bars and restaurants. And it‘s not just families who find the festival irresistible. Von Hartz knows that many visitors studiously ignore the theater program itself, to visit the event site only to take in the vibe, or for a refreshing dip in the lake with a beautiful
backdrop, or simply to take a photo for Instagram. This is hardly the end of the world, says Von Hartz. “It‘s part of Zurich life and it’s one of the reasons the audience is extremely diverse – unlike other European theater events. From the roughly 150,000 visitors, 30,000 attend performances.” It’s a number he’s very happy with. This year, the Spektakel celebrates its 40th anniversary with Matthias von Harz as its new artistic director. He was previously responsible for programming the Internationales Sommerfestival at the Kampnagel complex in Hamburg, the Foreign Affairs festival in Berlin, and the Athens & Epidaurus Festival. When asked if he’s about to turn everything in Zurich on its head, his answer is firm. “No, heaven forbid! Everything’s going so well.” And he’s right. Along with the high number of visitors – whether watching performances or strolling about – the Spektakel is also one of the most sustainable festivals in the world and carries the “Inclusive Culture” label, awarded to festivals and events that are accessible to all. Nevertheless, the management team has further goals, for example attracting younger and even more diverse audiences. Initial measures include the introduction of “listen-in-headphones” that allow you to eavesdrop on performances, as well as teaser performances that take place right on the Landiwiese itself. And of course, they’re also working on their exciting program with William Kentridge and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker who are returning to the Theater Spektakel for the anniversary. It is something of a homecoming, as both artists launched their careers at the festival. Back then, Kentridge was performing for the first time outside of South Africa. Furthermore, De Keersmaeker will be dancing the same program she presented in 1983 – at nearly 60 years of age!
Contact Details Zürcher Theater Spektakel mvh@theaterspektakel.ch theaterspektakel.ch Zürcher Theater Spektakel theaterspektakel 15
Room for the Future – Anna Haller, Hunziker-Areal For many Zurich residents, Oerlikon is nothing more than the city’s northern limit. But it’s right here, that one of Europe’s most pioneering housing projects is taking shape. It offers a visionary example of how we might live together in the future. 17
It’s a peaceful site on the square of the Hunziker Areal. A child kicks a ball across the gravel and someone cycles slowly past as the last rays of sunshine gleam in the windows of the surrounding high-rises. The peace and quiet remember of the countryside, but Zurich is just around the corner. It’s difficult to describe the Hunziker Areal concept in just a few words. Anna Haller, the participation manager for the mehr als wohnen (more than housing) cooperative is well aware of this. In 2007, 50 existing housing cooperatives in the development area were merged with the aim of
No one would have wanted to live here ten years ago. creating a model residential estate that would act as an example for others. Today, the Hunziker Areal is a point of reference for urban developers and planners throughout Europe. The 41,000 m2 former concrete factory offers space for 1,200 tenants living in 370 apartments in 13 differents buildings. Along with a wide range of living situations, the 2000-Watt site also focuses on promoting social and ecological commitment and resident participation. Before construction work began, city residents were invited to take part in a competition for ideas. The key question was, what would tomorrow’s non-profit housing look like? The competition laid the groundwork for the creation of the housing cooperative, setting its objectives, and finally, building the site itself. “Communication and interaction will bring us forward,” says Anna Haller, and many urban planners and developers would agree wholeheartedly. Haller has set up a kind of contact point where residents can bring their project ideas. Around 40 working groups have been created since 2014. They have organized, among others, dance groups, coffee clubs and a bike workshop.
“We take every idea seriously. Only ideas that are disproportionately expensive or don’t attract wide interest are turned down,” she explains. The residents even set up their own grocery store, but the pretty neighborhood shop soon became too much to handle and was forced to close again. Nevertheless, the ground floor of each of the 13 buildings is home to some form of trade, including cafés, restaurants, a book publisher and a beauty salon. “This gives rise to interaction between the tenants and other people living in the neighborhood.” Indeed, another important principle of the Hunziker Areal is that it shouldn’t be an exclusive structure, but instead become an inclusive, natural and open part of the neighborhood. So what does the accommodation of the future look like? The “Cluster House” is one frequently cited example. It features two large apartments on each floor with small integrated “cluster apartments”. These private retreats for one or two people are connected via a large open-plan kitchen and living room where the 8 to 12 residents can meet. At the moment the residents are mainly couples and singles between the ages of 30 and 50. An older demographic was initially one of the target groups, but interest has so far failed to materialize. “Perhaps the concept was still a little too unconventional for the older generation,” says Haller. She stresses that experiences like these are important to the learning process. This urban microcosm has a village feel to it. “No one would have wanted to live here 10 years ago,” Haller says with a smile. The neighborhood was too industrial and too far away from the city center. But it is precisely this kind of project that will improve quality of life in the north of Zurich over the years to come.
Contact Details mehr als wohnen housing cooperative anna.haller@mehralswohnen.ch mehralswohnen.ch mehr-als-wohnen-hunziker-areal
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Curator of Public Space – Christoph Doswald, KiöR KiöR is the short, somewhat odd-looking German abbreviation for “Kunst im öffentlichen Raum” – art in public places. Everyone likes it, but no one knows how it got there. Curator and mediator Christoph Doswald explains. 21
“Art in public places is a multifaceted field,” Christoph Doswald announces right at the start. And he should know – after all, he is the chairman of the Art in Public Places working group (AG KiöR). “The working group was founded in 2006 and it’s the only one of its kind in Europe,” he says proudly. In Zurich, the working group is connected to the Civil Engineering department rather than the culture section, it is looking for new projects as well as maintaining existing public art. From sculptures in parks to installations on public squares, there are more than 400 works of public art in Zurich.
Nowaday, people are irritated, when the “Heureka” sculpture isn’t clattering, buzzing and squeaking at 7pm on the dot. “Until our working group was founded, public art was handled quite unsystematically in Zurich,” Doswald explains. When industry started disappearing from the city in the late 1990s and factory sites and brownfield land were being transformed into accommodation, public art became a consideration alongside urban planning and development. Today, city planners agree that public art improves our quality of life. “That was the impetus behind our working group.” For the curator of public space, this much is clear: “Art interventions create new identities and points of reference, they change our perspective on urban area and allow the population to continually rediscover their own living space. The dialog between art and its audience works better in public places than anywhere else,” Doswald says. Though he‘s happy to receive positive feedback on his work, criticisms like “this is elitist nonsense” are
part of everyday life too. This is where Doswald steps in – he sees himself and his team as mediators, always seeking dialog. “In a museum, there’s a fixed framework. You pay to get in and you have expectations. But in urban spaces, 99% of the observers are unprepared. They have no previous knowledge or information about the artwork and often react by asking about the costs and purpose of it.” But even Jean Tinguely’s “Heureka” iron sculpture and Max Bill’s “Pavilion Sculpture” met with initial resistance – and both have since become Zurich icons. “Nowaday, people are irritated, when the ‘Heureka’ isn’t clattering, buzzing and squeaking at 7pm on the dot,” he says. So Doswald’s strategy is to offer continuous, long-term explanation and to continue displaying new art. The working group achieves this through summer exhibitions such as “Art and the City” and “Neuer Norden Zürich”, which draws an international crowd to Zurich’s dynamic northern suburbs. Doswald is already working on his next big project, where he will transform an urban development zone into a kind of temporary open-air museum every three years – open to the public and free of charge. Artists from around the world are designing new works specially for the project. This will help raise awareness about public art amongst the local population and tourists from around the world while also introducing them to previously unknown parts of Zurich. The plan is to showcase the south of the city in 2021. The focus will be on topics such as ecology, urban density and sustainability. And anyone who experienced “Art Altstetten Albisrieden” 2015 or “Neuer Norden Zürich” 2018 will know we can look forward to some wonderful interventions and installations.
Contact Details Kunst im öffentlichen Raum working group, Civil Engineering and Waste Management Department of the City of Zurich cd@doswald.net stadt-zuerich.ch/kioer KiöR – Public Art Zurich kioer
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A Floating Dream – Herzbaracke When Federico Emanuel Pfaffen and Nicole Gabathuler’s “Herzbaracke” docks at Bellevue in Zurich, the curtain goes up on a world of dreams. The floating theater has been close to the hearts of Zurich residents for years. 25
The “Herzbaracke”, which makes an appearance on Lake Zurich every year from September to April, is a real eye-catcher. It is a rare jewel, fitted with turrets and little windows and flanked by lovingly designed posters that advertise the program at each port. Curious passers-by who stop in for a look are richly rewarded, though not everyone dares to cross the “imaginary Jordan” as Federico Pfaffen calls the water between the landing stage and the Herzbaracke. “In the afternoons, Federico loves to greet people from Switzerland and abroad
Our greatest reward is happy guests, and knowing that we’ve enriched their world. and show them the secrets and treasures of the Herzbaracke,” explains Nicole Gabathuler enthusiastically. The Herzbaracke, which is German for “heart shack”, truly deserves its name, because a lot of love, heart and soul have gone into this floating island, which Pfaffen designed himself 23 years ago and built with the help of a small team. Right from the start, it was clear the Herzbaracke would be a changeable, movable stage – the dynamic theater maker had already staged productions in the most unlikely locations. Eleven years ago, Gabathuler caught the Herzbaracke-bug as well. The two aren’t just connected by their love for the “shack” – a term that really doesn’t do justice to this little floating castle – but also by their love for each other. Nicole, the talented visual artist with a charming smile, and Federico, the unconventional director, theater maker and storyteller.
artists who tread the boards for us every evening,” says Pfaffen. “Together, we whisk our guests away to a breathtaking fantasy world.” The unforgettable performances begin with a fresh, seasonal four-course menu from the ship’s own kitchen, served by ladies in rustling, layered costumes. The rustle of silk fabric is as much a part of the Herzbaracke’s background noise as the countless hundred-year-old musical and visual devices that chime, rattle and hum throughout the room. Once the guests have finished eating, the program begins, which can include variety acts, concerts, dance, magic, cabaret and literary performances. “We often see audiences who are exhausted and stressed out by their working days gradually relax. Suddenly their tired faces are transformed by hearty laughter,” says Pfaffen, thus describing the ultimate goal of the venture. Gabathuler: “This is a place of emotion and encounter for all kinds of people and stories.” This might also explain why the pair run “Table Number Eight”, which they spontaneously allocate to people who otherwise couldn’t afford to go to the theater, or to lonelylooking passers-by. The company isn’t going to make the couple rich. Their wages cover any repairs the floating theater might need as well as payment for everyone else who is involved. But the two unique individuals know exactly why they do it. “Our greatest reward is happy guests, and knowing that we’ve enriched their world.” Nevertheless, financial awards and contributions from foundations help – for example, the one that Pfaffen has just received from the City of Zürich for his 40 years of work in theater.
Contact Details Salon Theater Herzbaracke herzblut@herzbaracke.ch herzbaracke.ch salon-theater-herzbaracke
They design, work and coordinate together and help keep the theater afloat. “We’re an artistic biotope that exists in harmony with the amazing 27
Transformable Spaces – Roman Beranek, Projektil When buildings, bridges and gorges suddenly start moving, there’s a good chance Roman Beranek and his team are behind it. The Projektil media studio opens up new realms using video and sound effects. 29
It’s quiet and dark; the audience is on tenterhooks. What are they about to see? Everything is ready for the big show. The moment Roman Beranek and his team have been working towards for several months has arrived: The opera house that could be seen a second ago has just disappeared. Different parts of the building light up, the music gathers pace and suddenly a row of columns seems to start moving. It folds up to the side and the audience can no longer contain themselves, responding with applause and cries of astonishment. And somewhere in the background, Beranek is smiling with satisfaction because he has achieved his goal.
I like non-places that aren’t particularly beautiful. It’s our job to make them beautiful. “People‘s reactions are the reward for our work,” he says. “We want to captivate spectators with our installations and help them forget their everyday lives.” Roman Beranek is a founder, partner and creative director at Projektil, a company that specializes in light installations and digital art. They’re now Switzerland’s leading media studio in the field of video mapping. Simply put, video or projection mapping is a process that allows a wide range of surfaces to be illuminated and modified using a projector. Projektil do this by using video sequencing: The company virtually recreates buildings or objects in three dimensions. These models can be moved and animated. Finally, the animations can be projected onto the original building, creating optical illusions. One example of this takes place during Christmas time in Zurich, when the courtyard of the National Museum is transformed into a spectacular world of illuminations.
There you will find lovable monster Yuki and his friends who are up to no good. The installation covers all four walls of the courtyard, and is an unforgettable moment for every spectator. “A lot of people who know Projektil saw our very first show in 2009 and the experience burned itself into their memory,” Beranek explains. He’s amazed that even ten years on, the show still resonates. “The installation was fairly simple back then, nothing compared to what we can do today!” Back in 2003, the Projektil artists’ collective was primarily focused on designing photo exhibitions. But their passion for interdisciplinary art, graphics, film, video and animation was always there. And when Beranek saw a video installation for the first time, he knew right away that this was his art form. So he founded the Projektil media agency together with some partners. He learned how to lay analog grids on buildings, then bend and adapt them to the structure in question. “Around 2009, the art form really exploded,” says Beranek. “Thankfully, today everything can be done digitally,” he adds with a smile. The team’s latest project will be turning the interior of St. Jakob’s church into a place to slow down. As with all of Projektil’s projects, it’s all about putting the spotlight on the architecture of the building or space and incorporating this into the action: “We bring a lot of creativity and expertise to our work, but we don’t force a place to be something it’s not. I like unconventional locations or non-places that don’t seem particularly beautiful at first glance. It’s our job to make them beautiful,” Beranek smiles.
Contact Details Projektil roman@projektil.ch projektil.ch Projektil projektilart
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Related Links Art in Public Places (KiĂ–R) stadt-zuerich.ch/kioer neuernorden.org maps.stadt-zuerich.ch/zueriplan3/ Urban Planning & Architecture greencity.ch seestadt.org kalkbreite.net zaz-bellerive.ch openhouse-zuerich.org Design City Zurich kreislauf345.ch tribeka.ch designbiennale.ch blickfang.com criterion.ch grafik-schweiz.ch zhdk.ch gewerbemuseum.ch kreativwirtschaft.ch Theater & Dance schauspielhaus.ch tanzhaus-zuerich.ch kulturzueri.ch Digital Art muda.co gamedesign.zhdk.ch
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Districts of Zurich
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Old Town, city center Left shore of the lake Creative quarter of Wiedikon Creative quarter of Langstrasse Creative quarter of Zurich-West University quarter
7 On the ZĂźrichberg 8 Right shore of the lake 9 At the foot of the Uetliberg 10 Right of the Limmat 11 Zurich-Nord 12 Schwamendingen
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Imprint & Contact Details © 2019 Zürich Tourism Text: Graphics: Project management: Images:
Gretta Bott Anita Lutz Janine Rupf, Martin Birrer Adrian Bretscher, Hangar Ent. Group GmbH
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