MUNICIPAL CONTAINERS, ZÜRICH (CH)
The temporary container estate was planned, approved and built within six months. It is used for the short-term accommodation of asylum seekers.
Status | Type of residents |
Number of residents | Modular units |
Building method | Country |
Living space per person (m²/person) | Architect |
Commissioned by | Construction firm |
Interim use with containers
The Asylum Organisation Zürich (AOZ) already started looking for short-term accommodation for asylum seekers in 2010. In Leutschenbach, to the north of Zürich city centre, they found what they were looking for: the City of Zürich acquired a former beverage depot, the “Heineken site”. Thanks to the intense efforts of all involved, the temporary residential area was planned, approved and built within six months. Beverages continue to be sold in the head-end structure, but the warehouse has been demolished to the foundation and the three levels of containers erected on it. The latter were offset-stacked to create a covered access balcony on each floor. The 70 room modules are grouped into 12 dwelling units. A dwelling unit (124-150 m²) for 8 to 10 persons consists of 4 to 5 residential modules together with a kitchen and bath module. The two ends of the warehouse remain as covered exterior areas. In one of them is a container that is used as a launderette.
Some of the adults perform regular duties on a daily basis. Those who have no job make use of the educational and employment programmes. About 20 children attend kindergarten or the local public school. At the end of the year an extension for 36 persons was completed, but the complex must soon be relocated because a residential area is to take its place.
Text: Friederike Meyer / Yvonne Michel
from: Stadtbauwelt48.2015
