Tanzhaus Zürich
July 14, 2020
Barozzi Veiga designed a new Tanzhaus after being destroyed by a fire, and transformed the entire bank of the river Limmat.
The project aimed to reactivate the promenade along the river, transforming and redefining the previous residential conditions of the location. In this way, the building is defined as a simple and tiered volume of space, integrated into the slope and barely noticeable from the outside. An element that enables a new public space to be generated on its roof and that connects the existing itineraries at different levels that intertwine along its bank.
The transformation had sensitively addressed the listed building ensemble. By precisely incorporating the replacement new building into its environment, the project skilfully combines old and new.
The building resolves the relationship with its surroundings through the definition of its main elevation. This consists in a sort of infrastructure, a continuous façade that can be read as a reinterpretation of existing surrounding elements, which are evidences of the industrial past of this area.
The building resolves the relationship with its surroundings through the definition of its main elevation. This consists in a sort of infrastructure, a continuous façade that can be read as a reinterpretation of existing surrounding elements, which are evidences of the industrial past of this area.
The choice of the trapezoidal form is the result of a transformation of the traditional orthogonal system of pillars, beams and rectangular openings. Indeed, the repetition of this particular shape and the use of a performing insulating concrete allowed for a continuous structural façade, which, at the same time, protects and characterizes the building.
The uniform façade defines and evenly opens up to the entire public space along the river, connecting the outdoor space to the foyer, extending and enriching the new public space. The geometry of the trapezoidal openings simultaneously allow both for this extremely permeable façade and to control and shape the entry of the natural light inside the building. The resulting shadows given by the facade drawing and the vegetation become one of the main features of the foyer.
The programme is organized across two levels, separating private uses on the upper level from public uses on the lower one. This division allows for different accesses and activates the circulation around the building, reinforcing its public nature at that level in direct contact with the river Limmat. Here, the main foyer runs over the entire length of the façade and gives access to the production rooms and the main multifunctional hall. This space, which spans two storeys, is provided with daylight on the side. The upper level accommodates the Tanzhaus offices and backstage spaces.
The project by Barozzi Veiga consists in a new cultural building for the city of Zürich, which reflects the importance of the Tanzhaus as one of the most significant centres for contemporary dance in Switzerland.
Photography by Simon Menges
www.barozziveiga.com
SHARE THIS
Contribute
G&G _ Magazine is always looking for the creative talents of stylists, designers, photographers and writers from around the globe.
Find us on
Latest News
As global demand for halal products reaches unprecedented levels, the highly anticipated MEGA HALAL Bangkok, alongside with the concurrent MEGA SHOW Bangkok, this July establishes Thailand as the definitive trade capital of ASEAN, providing a truly international sourcing and networking marketplace for the global halal industry.
Interior architecture studio El Departamento has completed the design of the new Nude Project’s flagship store on Boters Street in Barcelona.
Building on What's Already There As this year's LIV Hospitality Design Awards winners settle into the wider conversation, certain patterns become difficult to ignore. Properties built for warm-climate escape recur across the list. Sustainability surfaces less as a stated goal than as a working method. And several of the strongest projects are renovations rather than new builds. Read together, the winners point toward where hospitality design is heading as the year continues. Designed for the Season Several of this year's winners speak directly to the season ahead. Kona Village , on Hawaii's Big Island, reimagines an 81-acre resort around the history of Kaupulehu, led by Greg Warner and Mike McCabe of Walker Warner. The rebuilt property includes 150 traditional guest hale, a new spa, and five restaurants and bars—two of which carry over from the original resort. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, the project reads as a continuation: a property rebuilt around what made the original site significant in the first place.
One Desk designed the interiors of a house in Hornówek, near Warsaw, for a couple working in the film and television industry, together with their four-legged family members. The project reflects a cinematic sensibility translated into residential design, combining functional elegance, warm atmospheres, and bespoke details that respond to the creative lifestyle of its inhabitants.
The leading trade platform for the lifestyle industry Interior Lifestyle China will return to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre from 8 to 10 October 2026, presenting a curated selection of global products and new designs.
On Norway’s western coastline, where fjords, trade routes, and ancestral narratives have shaped generations, GCR Design AS / Gunvor C Røkholt approaches interior architecture as cultural stewardship. Recognized by Luxury Lifestyle Awards with the title of Best Contemporary Residential Interior Design in Norway for Project KYN , the studio’s work reflects a disciplined commitment to preserving heritage through active, contemporary use.
Subscribe
Keep up to date with the latest trends!
Popular Posts
Located in the heart of Las Salesas, one of Madrid’s most sophisticated and creative districts, Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid embodies a refined vision of contemporary urban luxury.
Building on What's Already There As this year's LIV Hospitality Design Awards winners settle into the wider conversation, certain patterns become difficult to ignore. Properties built for warm-climate escape recur across the list. Sustainability surfaces less as a stated goal than as a working method. And several of the strongest projects are renovations rather than new builds. Read together, the winners point toward where hospitality design is heading as the year continues. Designed for the Season Several of this year's winners speak directly to the season ahead. Kona Village , on Hawaii's Big Island, reimagines an 81-acre resort around the history of Kaupulehu, led by Greg Warner and Mike McCabe of Walker Warner. The rebuilt property includes 150 traditional guest hale, a new spa, and five restaurants and bars—two of which carry over from the original resort. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, the project reads as a continuation: a property rebuilt around what made the original site significant in the first place.
At M&O September 2025 edition, countless brands and design talents unveiled extraordinary innovations. Yet, among the many remarkable presences, some stood out in a truly distinctive way. G&G _ Magazine is proud to present a curated selection of 21 Outstanding Professionals who are redefining the meaning of Craftsmanship in their own unique manner, blending tradition with contemporary visions and eco-conscious approaches.
