Urban areas are under increasing pressure. Rising population figures and limited space call for innovative solutions. Areas behind railway stations in particular often remain unused, although they offer valuable potential for urban development. One example of a successful conversion is Europaallee in Zurich. However, while new urban neighbourhoods are already being created in many places, the future of the St.Gallen freight station site is still open.
Its development has been discussed for years, but different interests and perspectives have so far prevented a concrete realisation. This was the starting point for the course “Building the future – the importance of sectors for urban development”, which brought together architecture students from ETH Zurich with economics and sociology students from the University of St.Gallen.
Interdisciplinary collaboration as the key to success
The course combined architecture, urban sociology and economics to create a new approach to urban planning. “Architects of the 21st century learn from the building methods of the 20th century in order to develop sustainable models for the future,” explains Prof Momoyo Kaijima from ETH Zurich.
The collaboration with sociologists and economists resulted in practice-oriented research that took into account not only urban planning concepts, but also social and economic aspects.
Experiencing urban planning from new perspectives
The students began their investigation with guided walks through the freight depot area, inspired by the sociologist Lucius Burckhardt’s “Spaziergangswissenschaften”. This method enabled them to experience the space not just as a planning object, but as a lived social place.
“The study made it clear that even inconspicuous or derelict areas can play a decisive role in urban dynamics,” reports HSG student Livius Schönle.
From observation to concept
Based on interviews, observations and data analyses, the participants developed so-called “actor network drawings”, which they used to visualise complex relationships between the use of space, social groups and economic interests. Art painter Walter Dick also played a role in this, introducing the students to the basics of hand-drawing in order to visually represent their analyses.
“The concrete experiences from the interdisciplinary collaboration show how important it is to be aware of the different ways of thinking,” emphasises Dr Niklaus Reichle from the University of St.Gallen. “Only if we think outside the disciplinary box can social challenges in dealing with space be tackled in a meaningful way.”
Visions for sustainable urban development
The students’ concepts ranged from multifunctional residential and working neighbourhoods to sustainable green spaces that integrate new recreational areas into the city. Some teams developed ideas for mixed-use buildings that combine social housing with commercial space, while others developed strategies for careful densification through innovative construction methods.
A central theme was social integration: how can the freight depot area serve as a connecting element between existing neighbourhoods? How can open spaces be created that are both ecologically and socially valuable?
Urban development as a joint task
The research results emphasise that successful urban development requires more than just structural measures. Economic, social and ecological aspects must be considered together. The collaboration between ETH and HSG shows how different disciplines can learn from each other in order to make urban spaces sustainable and fit for the future.
The city of St.Gallen could benefit from these findings: The freight yard site offers enormous potential for innovative neighbourhood development if the right course is set.
