The ZHAW expects student numbers to continue to rise. This is why its Winterthur premises are to be expanded to Teuchelweiherplatz and the Lind area.

The number of students in Winterthur has more than doubled since the ZHAW was founded – and numbers are predicted to continue to increase. According to ZHAW President Jean-Marc Piveteau, this rise is due to a general increase in the population as well as the growing popularity of the university’s practice-oriented degree programmes. “We’re very happy about this, but it also means that we need additional space so that we can continue to provide our students with a modern teaching and research infrastructure.”

As in the past, development is to take place in the immediate vicinity of Winterthur’s main train station at the three ZHAW campuses City Centre, Technikumstrasse and St.-Georgen-Platz. Spatial concentration is a key element, according to Reto Schnellmann, Managing Director of the ZHAW. “It reduces the number of buildings while allowing the Schools to cluster at one of the three campus sites.” In addition, it makes it possible to integrate the university into the city’s fabric and connect with urban open spaces. These plans require a great deal of coordination. To this end, the canton of Zurich, the city of Winterthur and the ZHAW signed a joint declaration of intent, which forms a binding basis for the future development.

While the former Sulzer site will be developed on the existing area of the ZHAW’s City Centre campus, a gradual expansion is envisaged in the area between the Technikum and the Zeughäusern. In a first stage, the Technikumstrasse campus of the School of Engineering will be expanded to include Teuchelweiherplatz. At the St.-Georgen-Platz campus, an extension across the train tracks to the SBB-owned Lindareal is being examined. SBB’s space requirements for railroad operations is decreasing in this area, freeing up a large space for development in a central location. Plans for the Linden site include a wide range of living and working spaces, green and open spaces accessible to all and a conversion of the existing listed buildings.