Page 5 - ASSET MANAGER 11 (EN)

ASSET MANAGER • NO. 11/2019
Is there any further evidence or even hard facts for
this trend?
According to the Swiss Venture Capital Report, our region is one of the most dynamic regions in Switzerland and among the top 10 in Europe. Many innovative startups are founded in the environment of Empa, ETH and other uni- versities. Besides, they are accelerating the trend towards co-working spaces. Google, Microsoft and IBM, each of which offer thousands of jobs, have a strong influence. Without the airport's function as a hub, Google would not be present in Zurich.
Which regions should the airport region
compete with?
On the one hand, we want to be the best in Switzerland. On the other hand, international competition is becoming increasingly important. And there we are in competition with Frankfurt, Berlin, Tallinn, Dublin, and London as well as Silicon Valley and the Asian economic metropolises of Shanghai, Guangzhou or Singapore.
Which construction projects are pioneering in
your view?
Undoubtedly, The Circle stands out, with 180,000 square meters of usable space directly at the airport – it is often described as a futuristic satellite city where business meets lifestyle and medicine. In the end, it will provide more than 6,500 jobs, as well as housing a convention center with a capacity of 2,500 guests and 2 Hyatt Group hotels. Mic- rosoft will open its European headquarters in The Circle in 2020. Other tenants include the University Hospital of Zurich, Raiffeisen, Swatch Group and Globus, as well as numerous other renowned companies. In Bülach, too, the Glasi and Bülachguss quarters are creating enormous boosts to development for the region. A real skyline is be- ing created in Dübendorf, where the Jabee Tower, for ex- ample, is currently inaugurating the tallest residential build- ing in Switzerland. Three other skyscrapers (Three Point) are being planned in the immediate vicinity. The Richti site in Wallisellen, which offers thousands of workplaces and apartments in state-of-the-art architecture, has already been built.
Are there any other major projects?
Among the major projects is the planned Zurich Innova- tion Park at the former Dübendorf military airport. The park is intended to foster the pooling of the knowledge of the Zurich universities and colleges with the practical and mar- ket experience of leading companies. The immediate sur-
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New impulses from the Zurich Innovation Park on the grounds of the Dübendorf airfield
The Circle: A futuristic satellite city being built at the Zurich airport
roundings of Zurich Airport alone have free space with the potential for around 30,000 new jobs. Our planning under the label First District is thus groundbreaking.
Hotspots are characterized by traffic bottlenecks. What does your strategy look like?
Since not only are many new jobs being created here, but also new housing estates are being built in the most central position, the distance to work should tend to be shorter. Adding to this, public transport service is being further ex- panded. Furthermore, pedestrians and cyclists should also be able to travel safely. Here, the urban traffic system Fly- line – a bridge system above today's street level – could develop into the central axis of the area between the airport and the Glattbrugg station.
And how is the development of the highway progressing?
As part of the northern bypass, the construction of a third tube will alleviate the traffic situation at the Gubrist Tunnel. The new tunnel will open in 2023.
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Photos: Ronny Barthel, Peter Arnold / Visualization: www.switzerland-innovation.com