Irchelpark
The Irchelpark was inaugurated in 1986 as a natural landscape park and relaxation oasis in the city of Zurich .
location
The park is a green area for the general public and the university in the Oberstrass and Unterstrass districts of Zurich , namely the Irchel external location of the University of Zurich , the buildings of which have been integrated into the park landscape. The State Archives of the Canton of Zurich also occupy a larger building on the edge of the university area. The spacious sports facilities of the University and ETH Zurich were largely built underground and are hardly noticeable as part of the overall concept.
A large terrace staircase over Winterthurerstrasse serves as access to the grounds of the University of Zurich Irchel, whereby the overpass is shielded from the park in such a way that it goes unnoticed. A fin track runs around the lower part of the park area . The park has direct access to the sports facilities of the University and ETH Zurich. The Zurich State Archives and the Museum of Anthropology are located on campus . In the south of the park is the restaurant Neubühl,
The park can be easily reached by public transport using tram lines 7, 9, 10 and 14 or bus lines 39, 69, 72 and 83.
history
In 1962, the natural science faculty of the University of Zurich proposed to concentrate some university institutes in a branch office on the Strickhof area on the western edge of the Zürichberg in order to improve the use of synergies and save costs . In 1973, when the ETH Zurich inaugurated a similar project on the Hönggerberg in 1963, construction work began, and in 1979 the University of Zurich Irchel was opened to the public.
The area previously used by the Strickhof agricultural school was to serve as a local recreation area in the lower area at Milchbuck, despite the university's new branch , which was specified in detail in the competition for the Irchelpark park area, along with other landscape planning requirements .
In June 1978, the competition jury decided from 13 designs for the joint project "Terra" by ASP Atelier Stern und Partner and Eduard Neuenschwander . Stern und Partner took on the design of the upper eastern part and thus the part bordering the university campus, Neuenschwander the western, lower part of the actual park landscape, with the central lake and the hills and commons separating the park from the quarter . The natural design was underlined by the use of native vegetation as a natural continuation of the Zürichbergwald towards Milchbuck. From 1979 to 1986 the Irchelpark was designed and implemented in detail under the supervision of the Canton of Zurich .
Conception of a near-natural park
The conception of the park initially met with resistance. In the 1960s and 1970s, parks still had to be strictly ordered, with shady avenues and leveled terraces, manicured lawns and preferably flower beds, exotic ornamental shrubs and perfectly cut trees. The first resistance was publicly expressed in the neighborhood when the profile for the earth wall, which was supposed to serve as noise protection, was unearthed in the lower part of the site at the Milchbuck tram and bus stop. The range of hills was perceived by residents as a "disturbing wall". The complaints could be averted by reducing the wall height by 50 centimeters. The designers then intensified public relations work with residents and associations in the neighboring quarters in order to incorporate their ideas into the further detailed conception. Instead of slides and other classic play options for children, a “ moraine castle”, a “lake playground” with sand and hiding places made from boulders suitable for small children were created , and fire pits were created along the lake with wood made available.
During the construction phase, it turned out that the park should meet other public needs: These included a large civil defense system and an electricity plant, both of which were mostly built underground, as well as a fire department depot that was ultimately not built. But also the large sports facilities of the two universities with mostly underground halls, tennis courts, climbing wall and the Finnish runway integrated into the park landscape were brought into harmony with the need for green space and recreational space. The park was opened in 1986.
Park
As a contrast to the modern buildings of the university and the densely populated area around the Milchbuck, natural building materials and wild growth were used in the park. In the lower part of the park there is an artificially created lake with fish, water birds and a lookout point, which at the same time visually delimits the university campus. The park design also includes the inner courtyards of the university buildings and the large access axis between the buildings. Works of art, among others by Albert Cinelli , Florin Granwehr , Wolfgang Häckel , Gottfried Honegger and Roland Hotz appear as part of the park.
"Sunpins" by Albert Cinelli
«Raumwandler» by Florin Granwehr
"Brother Sun, Sister Moon" by Roland Hotz
«Sturm» by Wolfgang Häckel
The Irchelpark, including the university buildings in the higher eastern area, covers an area of around 44 hectares . Such a large park had not been built in Switzerland for decades. The actual park area is around 32 hectares, with the park's waters taking up about a fifth of the total area. Ranges of hills protect the park from the high-pollution streets, especially the motorway exit / entrance and turnoff in the area of the Milchbuck tunnel. They are planned into the site and thus create differentiated landscape spaces.
Most of the green areas are poor meadows which, due to the nutrient-rich subsoil, tend to become fatty meadows . Hedges and trees are mainly planted in the edge zones as additional immission protection, whereby native deciduous and coniferous trees act as counterpoints in the park, loosened up and supplemented by boulders. In between, nature retains its space thanks to the small plants growing here. The pond is surrounded by a belt of reeds and dense hedges, behind which streams flow that can be reached on narrow dirt roads. In between there is a network of walking paths.
Flora and fauna by the stairs to the university campus
The water level of the lake is regulated. One problem is the feeding of the waterfowl , which results in an overpopulation of ducks and gulls , which in turn leads to water pollution and an excessive fish population . In this area there is no ecological , self-regulating balance - there are no prohibition signs in Irchelpark, and animal feeding is not prohibited.
literature
- University of Zurich : 15 years of park facilities at the University of Zurich. Zurich 2001.
Web links
- Irchelpark on the website of the City of Zurich
- Irchel West sub-area Website of the University of Zurich , December 2, 2019
- Irchel Nature Trail website of the University of Zurich, May 22, 2019
Individual evidence
- ↑ Park and green spaces ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Website of the City of Zurich, Green City of Zurich. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- ↑ Website of the Anthropological Museum of the University of Zurich ( Memento of the original from July 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 26, 2010
- ↑ Neue Zürcher Zeitung (July 21, 2009): The life of the parks: Irchelpark: Wild growth and architecture in urban realms, accessed on June 26, 2010
- ^ Website of the University of Zurich: History , accessed on June 26, 2010
- ↑ 150 years of Strickhof ( memento from November 23, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b c d e Magazine Uni Zurich - Bulletin ETHZ - Article Irchelpark Natural Garden - “a misunderstanding”, accessed on August 26, 2006
Coordinates: 47 ° 23 '47 " N , 8 ° 32' 52" E ; CH1903: six hundred and eighty-three thousand seven hundred thirty-two / 250099