Herzog & de Meuron Design New Forum for University of Zurich
- The University of Zurich is redrawing its institutional footprint.
- Born from a 2018 architectural competition brief, the master plan relies on three distinct structural forms: a functional plinth, a solitary upper volume, and a central gathering space.
- Hugging the slope of the site, this functional plinth houses five separate auditoriums boasting a combined capacity of 2,000 seats.
The University of Zurich is redrawing its institutional footprint. At the center of this transformation is the Forum UZH, a major campus project designed by Pierre de Meuron. The new education and research center is engineered to dissolve the boundaries between higher learning and the public, weaving an open campus directly into Zurich’s urban fabric.
Pierre de Meuron Shapes Zurich’s New Academic Core
Born from a 2018 architectural competition brief, the master plan relies on three distinct structural forms: a functional plinth, a solitary upper volume, and a central gathering space.
A Multi-Tiered Civic Plinth
The base of the complex anchors the entire design. Hugging the slope of the site, this functional plinth houses five separate auditoriums boasting a combined capacity of 2,000 seats. Alongside these lecture halls sit seminar rooms, a café, retail shops, and four gymnasiums reserved for university sports associations and local students alike.
Public Squares and the Urban Interface
Architecture here is an exercise in connectivity. Public terraces and a lushly planted sunken garden forge a central node that binds the sprawling building volumes together. Hovering above the plinth is a trapezoidal solitaire building, deliberately set back from Rämistrasse to carve out a sunlit public square known as the Gloriaterrasse.
This upper volume respects its historic neighbors. Aligned carefully with the 19th-century institutional buildings stretching along Rämistrasse, the structure preserves the street’s architectural heritage. Inside, the division of labor is precise: the top four floors host the faculties of law, economics, and modern philology wrapping around the central forum space, while the two lower floors are dedicated to the library and learning center.
Timber Engineering and Interior Rhythm
Material choices drive the interior aesthetic. Wood commands the upper solitaire, standing in sharp contrast to the heavy concrete cores and foundations below. Towering, tree-like timber columns reach deep into the multi-story forum, signaling the physical threshold where the interior architecture bleeds into the outdoor gardens. Outside, the façade relies on cantilevered ceiling panels and varied brise-soleils to regulate sunlight and establish a distinct spatial rhythm.
Fostering Interdisciplinary Exchange
Buildings anchor an institution’s physical presence, but they are not the end goal. As Pierre de Meuron noted, the internal content and the intellectual friction between disciplines carry primary importance.
Ultimately, the Forum UZH seeks to build a contemporary academic marketplace. By pulling students, researchers, and the wider public into a shared architectural orbit, the project aims to spark lively interactions across generations.