Over the next few years, Maaglive will rise up at the Maag Areal site. The project will supplement the office use that is dominant today at the Prime Tower site with housing, culture and restaurants. The heavily-frequented uses, spread out over the entire day, will revitalise the Maag Areal and create a place in the midst of Zurich West where people will want to spend time.
There is an optimistic mood at the Maag Areal. Currently, the planners are still at work, yet even now for those interested you can see what it will look like in future via the virtual exhibit. Podiums have been placed in different areas on the site enabling a sneak preview of the new district – simply scan the QR code on the podium.
How it all started
As part of the study commission for Maaglive, in 2019 eight architects were tasked with developing possible scenarios for the area behind the Prime Tower. The remit was for two project approaches: both with and without the Maag concert hall. Amongst the projects submitted, the Berlin firm of architects Sauerbruch Hutton was the leading contender. Its holistic approach was impressive. The idea is to upgrade the site, currently characterised by office use, with housing, culture and restaurants and to add a central plaza with trees. Additional green spaces should also help to reduce the heat in the city of Zurich. There are plans for the Maag site to be heavily-frequently throughout the day and also in the evening to revitalise and enrich the area.
The vision
Maaglive must be envisaged as follows: a residential tower with 14 storeys, a cultural centre and the existing K building, which will be protected in future as a historic landmark. The three buildings are laid out around a green plaza, forming the centre of the district and at the same time its green space. Together with the roof garden on top of the residential tower and the grassed roof of the K building, the green spaces will help to reduce the heat in Zürich West. The district plaza will be enhanced by new footpaths and cycle routes, as well as generous open spaces with seating areas, play areas and areas to relax in.
Around-the-clock use
The new Maag site is intended for use around the clock. This will be made possible by areas suitable for multiple uses and by the way the living, working and cultural environments interrelate. Therefore, for example, the high-rise building does not just house apartments but also a two-storey workspace and restaurants. The cultural, workshop and event spaces in the K building and in the cultural centre are enhanced by commercial and restaurant spaces. This creates a vibrant community, a place to live and work, to stay a while and to enjoy.
Facts and figures
- Restaurants 1,800 m²
- Cultural / workshop / event spaces up to 3,600 m²
- Shops 650 m²
- Office / conference / co-working 4,000 m²
- Residential 10,000 m²
- Green spaces for hanging out approx. 3,500 m²
For more information and the project film, see www.maaglive.ch
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