Representing density: the politics of fear in Zurich city planning

Figures & data

Figure 1. Example of an inspirational image. Cover for the Zurich richtplan brochure/leaflet. The title is “Zurich 2040: a spatial concept for growing city”. Graphics: Urban Catalyst in collaboration with Studio Sophia Jahnke.

Photograph of the word “Hope”, held up with two hands, silhouetted against a sunny sky. Scan of cover for the Zurich richtplan brochure, showing the brochure title, Zürich 2040, and a cityscape depicting new and old buildings and people in a cartoon-like graphic style.

Figure 2. Three successive stills from Zürich 2040 animation. Animation by Ploy studio, based on graphics from Urban Catalyst in collaboration with Studio Sophia Jahnke.

Three successive stills from the Zürich 2040 animation. The animation stills show an existing Zurich streetscape quickly filling in with new buildings, in the same cartoon graphic style as the cover of the brochure.

Figure 3. Zürich 2040 brochure map. The brochure reads, “The plan shows a strategic target for the city of Zurich in 2040. It illustrates the possible development density in combination with the most important public infrastructure and open spaces”. Produced by Zurich Department of Building Construction.

Proposed spatial planning map of the city of Zurich. The map depicts areas targeted for increased density, new community centers, and preserved green spaces.

Figure 4. Tweets and website captures from the VCZ Yes campaign. The text reads “More Bikes. More Green. For Zurich”. The images support the urban development richtplan and also the transit infrastructure plan on the ballot in a separate referendum at the same time.

Screen captures of online VCZ Yes campaign materials from their website and tweets, showing, clockwise from top left, a plaza in Zurich with a wilderness lawn photoshopped in, a photo of an existing park with the Prime Tower in the background, and a typical Zurich street scape featuring small storefronts, trees, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Figure 5. Free Zuri No campaign billboard in Zurich. Paid for by private committee, using the No campaign’s graphic design. The graffiti style text reads: “2x NO to the misguided structural plan”. The text on blue background says “Don’t thwart public transit”.

Photograph of a billboard with Free Zuri No campaign advertisement, depicting the billboard, and surrounding street and buildings.

Figure 6. EVP No campaign poster. The text reads “No to the development structural plan: concrete is still concrete, even when it is painted green”.

Photograph of the EVP no campaign poster, depicting the silhouettes of landmark Zurich buildings with large faceless new buildings looming in the background, and the campaign slogan below.