Passenger Terminal World | SEPTEMBER 2012

PROJECT: The Circle at Zurich Airport

LOCATION: Zurich, Switzerland

COMPLETION DATE: 2017

COST: CHF1 billion (£660 million)

04 ZURICH AIRPORT

passengerterminaltoday.com

Pioneering airport city concept for Zurich Airport gets go-ahead

taking centre stage

The Circle at Zurich Airport will

be one of the largest projects

in Europe and construction

is expected to begin in 2013,

with the finished development

completed in 2017. The mixed-

use business complex will be

managed and operated by

Flughafen Zurich AG, which

currently operates Zurich Airport.

International hubProject overview

The Swiss government has approved

a CHF1 billion (£660 million) project at

Zurich Airport that will create a mixed-

use development complex aimed at

transforming Zurich into an international

business hub.

The Circle at Zurich Airport will

be a 200,000m2 complex comprising

seven service areas: health and beauty;

education and knowledge; events and

culture; brands and dialogue; counsel

and services; hotels; and headquarters

and offices. It will be constructed a few

minutes’ walk from the main airport

terminal and is expected to attract

businesses from all over the world.

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passengerterminaltoday.com SEPTEMBER 2012 | Passenger Terminal World

ZURICH AIRPORT 05

Japanese architectural firm Riken

Yamamoto & Field Shop designed

The Circle at Zurich Airport. Externally,

the building compliments the existing

airport format, while the inside conveys

an inner city experience on a smaller

scale. A variety of roadways, squares

and alleyways span the entire length of

the ground floor, giving visitors access

on different levels to new spaces, and

a glass roof provides a clear view of

the sky. These elements combine to

give a feeling of both openness and

discretion.

Design concept The seven modules will enable

companies to position themselves

within The Circle and communicate

with new and existing customers from

around the world. Flughafen Zürich AG

has already agreed two hotel locations

with Hyatt Hotels Corporation – a Hyatt

Regency and a Hyatt Place – that will

provide a total of 550 guest rooms and

convention facilities for approximately

1,500 people.

“The first five modules are designed

to create interesting synergies and

make up about 25% of the total usable

area,” explained Joerger. “The hotel

module will take up another 25%. The

remaining 50% of the usable area is

allocated for offices and headquarters.

To ensure the project’s success,

additional anchor tenants still need

to be found for the office spaces and

service areas.”

2 split over

the top five floors of six buildings.

Each floor provides 500-5,000m2

2,

including more than 3,210m2 of

meeting and conference facilities and

pre-function space

2

2

2

Facilities

Facts & figures

Commenting on the project, Andrea

Joerger, senior vice president, The

Circle at Zurich Airport, said, “It is a

great addition to the existing services

and high-quality infrastructure Zurich

Airport excels in. With The Circle,

Zurich Airport becomes a destination

in itself and consequently follows a

strategic development, evolving from

a mere transportation hub into a

commercially viable destination that

will continue to grow as a business

hub in the most accessible spot in all

of Switzerland.”

Great addition

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