METERMAGAZIN – The 40 most impressive concrete buildings in Zurich
Released
Rough concrete buildings polarize: for some they are ugly and spoil the cityscape, for others it is pure love and a more important contemporary witness of architectural history.
Raw concrete buildings polarize: for some they are ugly and spoil the cityscape, for others it is a great love and an important witness of architectural history. The Heartbrut platform celebrates bold icons of brutalism of the post-war period and takes a fresh look at Switzerland’s rich tradition of exposed concrete. With the new folding map “Carte Brute” you can discover 40 concrete buildings from the entire canton of Zurich from 1898 to the present day. Author and photographer Karin Bürki brought “Heartbrut” to life in 2019. In an interview she explains her fascination with concrete buildings and why Zurich in particular has such a great heritage.
When the term concrete is mentioned, many think of gray blocks of flats – you convince with “Carte Brute” that concrete can be refreshingly diverse and impressive. Were you personally looked at the concrete buildings?
Karin Burki: Above all, the fact that these are character buildings with rough edges. Béton Brut and Brutalism emerged after 1945 out of necessity, at a time when everything, including architecture, was in transition. Beautiful surfaces were a thing of the past. At the same time, the buildings are very, very photogenic with their simple geometries and sculptural design language. Paradoxically, she also owes her revival to her great popularity on Instagram.
What do you think is the most fascinating object in the collection and why?
KB: The delicately curved entrance area of the Aula Rämibühl. Its lightness and organic form prove that concrete can also be very sensual and poetic. I just can’t get enough of it.
If you are in Zurich for a day, which buildings should you take a closer look at and why?
KB: The State Museum, because the exposed concrete made its first big appearance in the columned hall and the Christ & Gantenbein extension is just around the corner. The four striking Hardau towers enjoy cult status in Zurich. The crowning glory is a small pilgrimage to the Triemli Tower: that is 43 meters of hard, brutalist raw food at the foot of the Uetliberg. You will be rewarded with a fantastic panoramic view of the city, including Zurich’s best concrete icons.
The collection includes classics, but also newer buildings such as the Tanzhaus on the Limmat – what criteria do you use to select the buildings?
KB: Roughly speaking, I’m looking for groundbreaking eye-catchers that are also relevant for today. But my camera always has a say. One of her absolute favorites is the concrete loop, a sculpture in the playground at the Grünau school that is reminiscent of oversized chewing gum sticks. It may not be at the forefront of classic architecture guides, but it is popping up on both Instagram and postcards.
In this edition you have also concentrated on various architectural treasures, how did you discover them?
KB: I notice that many post-war public buildings feature concrete art, and wanted to leave more about that. In the post-war period, there was regular exchange between the art and architecture scene in Zurich. I wanted to pay special tribute to that. Sometimes, however, Commissioner Coincidence had a hand in the game. I found out about the impressive wall relief at the Regina department store in Dietikon thanks to a tip from a reader.
Why are there so many imposing concrete buildings in Zurich?
KB: As Switzerland’s economic engine, Zurich had a huge need for new living space, schools and infrastructure during the boom. The 1960s were also the golden age of concrete modernism. Conveniently, with the ETH, one of the world’s leading architects was also on site. At that time, people built with a certain forward-looking boldness. Even the once frowned upon skyscrapers suddenly became socially acceptable.
Which city or metropolis also has an interesting concrete heritage?
KB: First of all, London should be mentioned as the birthplace of brutalism. One of the most striking and polarizing works, the Barbican Centre, is celebrating its 40th birthday this year. Incidentally, Switzerland can also celebrate something: Christoph Bon was part of the architects Powell Chamberlin and Bon. He comes from St. Gallen and at the ETH in Zurich.
Some of the objects are built with so-called recycled concrete – can YOU tell us more about the construction material?
KB: Recycled concrete consists of granular mixtures obtained by demolishing old buildings. The properties and possible uses largely correspond to those of classic concrete. If the building is built according to the Minergie-Eco sustainability standard, the distance between the recycling concrete plant and the construction site may not exceed 25 km.
The Carte Brute Edition Basel will be released in April – what can you tell us about it already?
KB: Look forward to forty icons from the Swiss architecture and culture hotspot. Three highlights: Switzerland’s first concrete church, the most beautiful concrete origami in the world and one of the last surviving works by Danish designer Verner Panton.
For many architectural offices such as Herzog de Meuron, Buchner Bründler or pool Architekten, concrete is central to their work – is concrete currently experiencing a revival in construction?
KB: I would rather say: The eternal love of Swiss architecture for concrete is indestructible! However, I would like to see awareness of a more environmentally friendly approach here as well and climate-friendly innovations such as CO2-reduced concrete, recycling solutions or the interaction with natural materials becoming the norm. Gilded especially for concrete: go with the times or move with the times.