©Ruedi Walti

Project
The new building for the central baggage sorting facility is located on a plot bordered by Terminal 1 and Operation Center 1, the airfield, and a landside road. Acting as a keystone, it closes the gap between the terminals and the cargo buildings.
 
Concept
The design takes up existing radii and geometries, which define the building’s basic shape. The floor plan is the key design tool. To keep the central area as open as possible for the baggage-sorting machinery, all secondary elements such as stairs, entrances, ramps, airlocks, lifts, and emergency stairs are arranged at the periphery or outside the main volume. This strategy preserves a continuous interior space while allowing for future adaptability. At the same time, these peripheral elements are given functional and architectural weight by being conceived as sculptural volumes. The various projections and annexes also symbolize the underground baggage conveyors feeding into the building.
 
Appearance
The new building presents two complementary faces. On the landside, it adjoins the neighboring buildings, adopting their scale while asserting its own identity through distinct materiality and playful volumetry. On the airfield side, the design is articulated by large-scale elements – ramp, snow balcony, and canopy – in direct relationship with the expanse of the tarmac, runways, and aircraft.
 
Program
A second use of the building is the provision of parking and circulation space for service vehicles. This results in a striking roofscape and the prominent covered access ramp – conceptually extending the tarmac onto the roof. In addition, the basement contains a drive-through road leading to Terminal 1. This mix of uses, together with the demanding geometry and tight spatial conditions, defines the building’s expressive character.
 
Construction
Both structure and envelope are built in reinforced concrete for functional reasons – a material choice that aligns with the chosen forms of the building.

Architecture / Design Firm:
Dürig & Rämi, Zurich
Jean-Pierre Dürig, Philippe Rämi, Ruedi Bass, Ludmila Thomann, Stefan Müller, Stephan Derendinger, Jacqueline Schwarz
 
Site supervision, cost planner and structural engineer:
SKS Bauingenieure AG, Zurich
Projektleiter: Gerhard Beck
 
HVAC engineer, primary supply:
Lier Energietechnik AG, Wallisellen
H. Wildberger
 
HVAC/S engineer and coordination:
Schüpbach Engineering AG, Glattbrugg
Projektleiter: W. Schüpbach, HLKK: Laszlo Sipka, Sanitär: R. Bigler
 
Electrical engineer, primary supply:
Christian Kradolfer + Partner, Pfäffikon
Projektleiter: G. De Stefani
 
Electrical engineer, secondary supply:
Thomas Lüem Partner AG, Dietikon (bis 1999 Herzog, Kull + Lüem AG, Schlieren)
Projektleiter: T. Lüem
 
Building automation:
Boxler MSRL-Engineering, Jona
K. Boxler
 
Acoustics / building physics:
Wichser Akustik + Bauphysk AG, Dübendorf
 
Land surveyer:
Hans-Peter Kasper, Kloten
 
Fire control:
Ingenieurbüro E. Götschi, Buchs/ZH
 
Cost planner competition:
Christoph Tschannen, Zurich
 
Wooden model:
Urs Wagner, Zurich