The Potential of Multigenerational Living in Zurich:
Densification Through Adaptation of Existing Housing Types—Case Study Fluntern
Manuela Foscaldi and Carla Ringenbach

The city of Zurich is growing steadily and expects an increase of 110,000 new residents by 2040. It is already difficult to find a flat today, and pressure on the housing market continues to increase. To counteract this development, the city is specifically managing densification with its 2040 municipal development plan. It is clear that densification will not be distributed evenly across all city districts. Increased densification is planned particularly in newer districts such as Oerlikon, Seebach, Affoltern, Altstetten, and Albisrieden. In contrast, it will not take place in older, more affluent districts such as Zürichberg.

This spatial inequality means that denser districts will become even denser, while densification in less populated areas will remain limited. This results in selective internal densification. Nevertheless, it is essential that all neighbourhoods contribute to densification in order to meet the growing demand for housing.

In District 7 in particular, which is known for its spacious buildings, an alternative densification strategy that does not rely on replacement construction is a viable option. Instead, existing buildings could be redesigned to enable communal living arrangements—densification through the type of housing. The scarcer undeveloped land becomes in the city, the more often old buildings give way to large-scale replacement construction—a process that consumes enormous amounts of grey energy.

Sustainable urban development should therefore not only focus on new buildings, but also sensibly develop existing residential buildings. Ultimately, a city thrives on the diversity of its residents, and this diversity should also be reflected in its architecture and residential structure.