Emil North
Emil North is part of the urban development of New Oerlikon, on the northern edge of Zurich, close to Seebach regional railway station.
The L-shaped building occupies two sides of the site, continuing the plan and section of the adjacent ONA building, which forms part of the ETH Zurich Department of Architecture. This positioning plays a key role in defining the main green open space on Neunbrunnenstrasse.
The building accommodates commercial and community spaces on the ground floor, together with small apartments for a diverse group of residents seeking a more community-oriented and environmentally friendly living environment.
In the post-coronavirus world, an increasing number of hybrid residential developments are moving beyond their traditional functions, incorporating hospitality services and dedicating more space to retail, co-working and alternative forms of accommodation, such as co-living and student housing. Through this innovative approach, the EMIL building can be understood as a prototype for a new urban living community.
The fundamental principles of sustainable building design have been reinterpreted and expressed through three main themes: Energy Saving, Community vs Anonymity, and Ecology as Identity.
Energy Saving
As integrated building components, 425 m² of photovoltaic modules cover the pergolas and roofs of the EMIL building, producing 70,000 kWh of electricity per year. Taking solar orientation into account, the façades are equipped with photovoltaic modules covering approximately 1,135 m², generating a further 30,000 kWh annually.
The photovoltaic modules, all of the same size, form an integral part of the structure and are concealed behind a perforated façade. Together, the roof and façade photovoltaic systems produce 100,000 kWh per year, equivalent to approximately half of the residents’ electricity requirements.
The sun-exposed loggias are equipped with movable glazing, allowing them to capture passive solar energy in winter and provide additional warmth to the apartments, depending on the position of the sun. They also help reduce heat loss. In summer, the open loggias shade the apartment windows, protecting the interiors from overheating.
The project also incorporates high levels of thermal insulation within the building envelope, including quadruple glazing on the ground floor, additional loggias adjoining the living rooms and external blinds on all apartment windows to control solar heat gain.
The mechanical ventilation system, with its central units located on the roof, makes an important contribution to energy efficiency. It supplies fresh air to the apartments while recovering almost all the heat from the exhaust air through plate heat exchangers and a downstream heat pump.
Heating and hot water are supplied by the municipal district heating network. More than half of the energy comes from waste incineration, approximately one-sixth from the combustion of regional timber felled during landscape maintenance, and around 30% from natural gas and oil used to meet peak demand on cold winter days.
The naturally ventilated indoor car park beneath the plaza includes intelligent electric charging stations serving 30% of the parking spaces. Electricity for charging is supplied at cost price. Charging sockets are also provided for electric motorcycles and bicycles.
Community vs Anonymity
The project offers four types of small apartments, ranging from approximately 36.6 to 110.6 m² of living space, as well as cluster apartments that enable communal living while providing individual rooms for each resident.
Beyond balancing community and privacy, particular attention is given to how compact dwellings can offer qualities that go beyond simply reducing the size of conventional apartments.
Workspaces and co-working facilities are available in the neighbouring older building, providing places to work and opportunities for social interaction. Separate telephone booths, a small shared kitchen and meeting rooms are also provided.
The plaza, railway carriage restaurant and roof garden are shared by residents of both the new and existing buildings, offering communal spaces for leisure and recreation.
The semi-open plaza provides a place to meet and relax, surrounded by greenery, the flower-covered roof of the pavilion and the railway carriage restaurant.
The roof garden features three covered pergolas connected by a sheltered walkway. Extensive planting, lawns for sunbathing, shrubs and flowers create a varied green environment. A centrally located barbecue is available to all residents.
The restaurant, housed within a historic railway carriage, includes outdoor tables and benches for use during the summer months.
Alongside the economical use of raw materials and energy, recycling is considered equally important in conserving resources and protecting the environment.
Ecology as Identity
Wherever possible, recycled building materials have been used, including recycled concrete and wood–plastic composite (WPC), incorporating 30 tonnes of recycled plastic and 30 tonnes of wood waste.
The approximately 200 residents of the EMIL building generate around 150 tonnes of waste annually, half of which could be recycled if collected separately. The waste management system therefore provides separate collection facilities for organic waste, paper, cardboard and household waste.
The roof garden comprises three principal green areas, including a central garden with a barbecue area. The non-accessible areas are extensively planted with low-maintenance vegetation, while the roof structures are covered with evergreen climbing plants.
At ground level, approximately half of the plaza is occupied by flower beds, shrubs and lawns. During summer, this vegetation combines with the floral canopy to create a pleasant microclimate while absorbing carbon dioxide.
The Flower Pavilion forms the centrepiece of the plaza. Supports rising between seven and nine metres carry planting troughs from which flowers grow across a network of cables or nets, creating a shaded floral canopy.
The Flower Pavilion becomes the central element of the urban complex, connecting the surrounding buildings both visually and physically, while receiving structural support from them. It serves as a symbol of community and ecology.
