UZH develops plans for new center of dentistry

The jury has reached a decision: The new center for dentistry (ZZM) at the University of Zurich is to be built by the Boltshauser Architekten/Drees & Sommer working group. Details regarding the project can be found in a press release issued by the university. In total, 46 teams submitted entries for the architect competition, with 15 ultimately being approved. The winning project – known as “Light Rack” – will now be further developed under the guidance of the UZH together with the municipal building department for the city of Zurich. A preliminary project is to be submitted for approval to the cantonal government and cantonal council of Zurich by 2023.

The new five-story building will accommodate the seven clinics and institutes of the ZZM. Assuming that everything goes to plan, the ZZM should be able to move in to its new headquarters by 2029. It will be located on the current site of Zurich children's hospital (Kispi) in Hottingen. François Chapuis, Director of Real Estate and Operations at UZH, explains in the press release that the Kispi is expected to relocate to a new building in Lengg in 2022.

Plans for the new center of dentistry are focused on a hybrid construction of wood and concrete. “The UZH has consciously embraced wooden hybrid buildings in order to improve its carbon footprint”, Chapuis states in the press release. The plans include an inner courtyard with plenty of foliage and an atrium in the entrance area, while the facades and roof are to be equipped with photovoltaic elements. In addition, the roof will be transformed into a green space that is home to a variety of plants and flowers. Renewable energy sources will be used to cover the majority of the building’s energy requirement.