Wall greening at Ueberlandpark Zurich

Initial situation and concept:

More than 120,000 vehicles use the A1 near Zurich Schwamendingen every day. To reduce noise and particulate matter, the highway was encased over a length of 950 meters. A park is being created on the roof and climbing plants are growing up the walls on trellis structures from Jakob Rope Systems.

Wall greening:

Like a "green zipper", the new Ueberlandpark connects the two districts of Saatlen and Schwamendingen, which were separated by the course of the highway in 1980.

The wall greening, which is divided into sections, gives the walls of the enclosure a changing vegetation and rhythm. The wall gardens consist of climbing plants that twine upwards and drooping trailing plants.

The plants on the roof and walls were chosen to promote biodiversity and attract small animals of all kinds. The different plants on the walls also create a variety of colors. Changing inflorescences and seasons create a play of colors and atmospheric spaces.

Construction and implementation:

Jakob Rope Systems was commissioned to develop and install the trellis structures for the wall greening. Our engineering team developed the concept, structural analysis, and drawings.

Details:

• Horizontal rope structure made of stainless steel ropes ø 12 mm, total length: 2422 m
• Vertical ropes ø 5 mm (with duplex rope cross mounted on horizontal rope), total length: 11'584 m
• Vertical ropes equipped with climbing aids
• Substructure by metal working Baltensperger AG

Project partners:

Swiss Federal Roads Office FEDRO
Canton of Zurich, Department of Economic Affairs
City of Zurich

Planning and construction:

Tunnel construction: INGE K12plus (Locher Ingenieure AG, Emch+Berger AG, Bänziger Partner AG)
Architecture: agps architecture ltd., Gähler und Partner AG (execution)
Metal construction: Baltensperger AG
Landscape architecture: Krebs und Herde GmbH
Statics and rope structures: Jakob Rope Systems