Preservation of Architectural Heritage and Other Forms of Sustainability
Vesna Tomse (International Network of Urban Research and Action, Association “Gueterbahnhof”, Local Network “Right to City“, Zurich)
International NGOs forum
«Protection of World Heritage Properties»
June 22-24, 2012
St.Petersburg, Russia
1. International NGO Forum on World Cultural Heritage, St. Petersburg 22.-24. June 2012
Preservation of architectural heritage
and other forms of sustainability
Vesna Tomse, sociologist / urban activist
3. Hypotheses
• The neoliberal way of preservation: Instead of
preservation laws investment into historical sites
• The «heritage turn»: Architectural heritage as a
factor of upgrading
• From state led to private led urban upgrading
• Alternatives to exclusion: Sustainable
redevelopment of old buildings
4. Zürich
Nord
Zürich
Four
West
development
Old Freight Yard
areas
Sihl City
Old city
Manegg
5. Structure of the presentation
• Structural change and its reflection in space and
architecture
• Four sites and ways of dealing with heritage
1. Zurich North and the destruction of heritage
2. Zurich West and state led upgrading by
preservation
3. Influencing sites outside Zurich West (Sihl City
and Manegg)
4. A new dimension: Social sustainability and
heritage
6. Structural change:
From the industrial to the knowledge economy
From the industrial
sites of workers …
… to the office-towers
of a managerial class
7. Zürich
Nord
Zurich North
Old Freight Yard
Sihl City
Old city
8. Zurich is not a city of finance
Oerlikon 1930
Neu-Oerlikon 2008
Neu-Oerlikon
1988-1998 planing phase
1998-2008 construction
5’000 inhabitants, 12’000 working places
2 billion € investment
19. Toni-Areal 2011 and 2013:
Art academy (academy of
classical and jazz music,
visual arts academy,
academy of design etc.)
20. Zürich
Nord
Zürich
Sihl City
West
Sihl City
Old city
21. Private led upgrading through
preservation of industrial heritage
The «Zurich paper-factory at the Sihl» now is «Sihl City»:
77 shopping areas, a hotel, a wellness facility, a multiplex
cinema)
• 2'300 working places,
• 20'000 visitors per day
• investment volume
500 mio.€
• rent profit 40 mio.€
per year
1936: «Zürcher Papierfabrik
an der Sihl» («Zurich paper-
factory at the Sihl»
26. Zürich
Nord
Zürich
West Manegg
Sihl City
Old city
Manegg
27. Architectural industrial heritage and
sustainability (social and ecological)
• 2006: Planing beginning
• 2011: Planing for
«GreenCity.Zurich»
• 700–1200 inhabitants
and ca. 3000 working
places
• 4 Housing cooperatives
involved
«Sihl Papier», constructed 1960
The spinnery beside the «Sihl-Papier»,
constructed in 1857
28. • 2011: Planing the
«GreenCity.Zurich»
• 700–1200 inhabitants
and ca. 3000 working
places
• 250 apartments
cooperative housing
29. Zürich
Nord
Zürich
West
The old freight
Old Freight Yard yard
Sihl City
Old city
Manegg
34. Sustainability in urban development
• Historic sustainability: Identity and
architectural heritage
• Social sustainability: Old / young people,
families; small businesses
• Ecological sustainability: Minimising energy
and living surface consumption
• Economic sustainability: Investors (housing
cooperatives; foundations)