Marco Fernandes Pires

The locomotive depot G, designed in neoclassical style by Meinrad Lorenz and later extended by Max Vogt, holds significant architectural and historical value as a Swiss train depot. On September 25, 2022, the initiative «One Europaallee is enough, now buy the Neugasse area» received majority approval of 50.26%. This outcome served as a rejection of the Neugasse project and criticized the profit-oriented approach of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). The initiators demanded the inclusion of «100% affordable housing» on the Neugasse site, but the SBB declined further negotiations, leaving the city of Zurich awaiting their response. Now, the Neugasse area faces a similar fate as the SBB freight station on the opposite side of the tracks. After remaining practically vacant for over 17 years, it was ultimately demolished when sold to the canton for the construction of the police and justice center (PJZ).

My project proposal opposes the idea of a temporary school facility on Hohlstrasse and suggests establishing the cantonal school on the Neugasse site instead. The Depot G offers large industrial-historical rooms, unlike anything else in Zurich, enabling a unique and collaborative learning experience. The eastern traverser hall, for instance, will be transformed into a gymnasium while retaining its original character. By relocating the transfer table, we can adjust the space requirements of the halls and also create a versatile mobile stage. Furthermore, the east wing will be expanded to provide the necessary classrooms. The entire school administration will be housed in the front building of the facility. The large hall will undergo significant reductions, maintaining its structural integrity while transforming into a vibrant break garden. The former workshop, converted into a café and greenhouse for biology lessons, will be preserved. Likewise, the western traverser hall, characterized by its historic wooden framework, will serve as a lunchtime meeting place, featuring a canteen and a covered outdoor sports facility, similar to the eastern traverser hall. In the western extension, the SBB workshop will continue to serve for the maintenance and restoration of historic trains, forming a center for railway history education. Furthermore, the premises are intended to be accessible to the public outside of school hours. On the other hand, the demand for «100% affordable housing», advocated by the Neugasse initiative, can be effectively met on Hohlstrasse. This aligns with Zurich’s goal of achieving one-third affordable housing without significant obstacles, especially since the land is already owned by the canton.