Zurich Design Weeks: 17–27 September 2026

At the heart of this project is the unused rooftop of Building Plot F in Europaallee. Its exact dimensions are traced onto the ground in the adjacent public space, creating a spatial “twin” that will temporarily come to life as part of Zurich Design Weeks. In this way, the largely hidden potential of urban rooftops becomes tangible and part of the public conversation.

In increasingly dense cities such as Zurich, where space is becoming ever more limited, rooftops offer enormous potential that remains largely untapped. While current strategies tend to focus primarily on functions such as energy generation, climate regulation and building services, this project advocates a more holistic approach that also considers rooftops as spaces for social and community use.

In keeping with this year’s theme, OUT OF…, the project invites visitors to move beyond familiar ways of thinking and explore new perspectives on the city. Rather than presenting a finished solution, the intervention serves as a starting point for a broader discussion: How do we want to use existing spaces in the future? Who gets to shape the city? And what potential is still waiting to be discovered above our heads? Visits to selected flat rooftops and a panel discussion complement the intervention, offering different perspectives on the topic.

The aim is to bring together engaged individuals and experts from a wide range of disciplines to explore the future of urban rooftops. From this exchange, an open community and movement called “dachwärts” is intended to emerge – for anyone interested in taking part, contributing ideas or supporting the initiative with expertise, practical involvement or financial resources.

Where do we go from here? Upwards – dachwärts.