Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture

Acupunctural interventions in the existing woodlands.

The air systems engineering factory Zellweger-Luwa defined the appearance and history of the city of Uster for many years. Therefore, the change of use of the former company grounds also reflects the transformation experienced by the city.

This project is endowed with a special significance for the current and future development of the city due to the prominent location of the grounds, and the quality of site-specific constructed elements and exterior spaces.

Interventions required for transforming the large areas of water and green spaces of the formerly inaccessible grounds into public open spaces were purposely kept to a mininum to safeguard functional flexibility. The aim was to preserve the existing natural and emotional qualities despite an increasing pressure on land use: seating elements strewn in the existing woods, better water quality, extensive retention of existing trees and inconspicuous informal forest paths.

A bridge designed by Tadashi Kawamata, a sculpture by Fischli Weiss and benches by Studio Vulkan Landscape Architecture can be regarded as acupunctural interventions in the existing system.