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I n the late 1990s, the concept of consolidating the cantonal police and law enforcement offices, Entwurf • Design Theo Hotz Partner, CH-Zürich
along with an investigative detention centre, into a single competence hub for combating crime
was conceived in Zurich. A suitable location was found on the site of a disused freight yard. Theo Bauherr • Client Kanton Zürich
Hotz Partner Architects’ general planning team was awarded the project in 2006 after winning the Standort • Location Güterstraße 33, CH-Zürich
international competition. After funding problems and a temporary cancellation of the project, it Nutzfläche • Floor space 133.467 m 2
regained momentum in 2012. HRS Real Estate AG was awarded the contract in early 2017. Construc- Fotos • Photos Till Forrer, contact@tillforrer.com
Mehr Infos auf Seite • More infos on page 126
tion began shortly after, despite several significant project adjustments. The PJZ was finally handed
over to operations in late 2021, and feedback has been consistently positive since. The complex
comprises three basement levels, their upper part forming a classic podium, the wings accommoda-
ting the police and judiciary departments, surrounding three courtyards, and a prison section. The
building boasts a stone façade that unites all its functions and floors. Green-grey Vert de Salvan,
a Swiss natural stone with a lively and heterogeneous structure, gives the building its distinctive,
robust appearance. The courtyard façades follow a similar design with a black metal strip façade.
A uniform material language

The central atrium, which is open across all storeys, is the spatial and functional centrepiece of the
entire building. Sculptural circumferential balustrades and stairways characterise the seven-storey
space. They culminate in the striking “crown” of the building, the large skylight. The basic materia-
lisation concept of the building can also be recognised in the reception area: natural stone (Vert de
Salvan, as for the façade), exposed concrete, oak wood and black-coloured metal. A combination of
open-plan layouts and individual and group offices flexibly facilitates both concentrated and colla- Lageplan – Neubau an der Gleisanlage • Site view – new building at the railway track
borative working. System partitions made of glass with oak doors support informal communication,
but also separate the individual departments if required. Individually adapted extensions for special
uses, for example for the Forensic Institute, the Zurich Police School or the cantonal operations centre,
continue the design and flexibility of the office concept and are supplemented by specific facilities.

The prison – integrated and separated

The prison, due to its specific requirements, has a different design. At the rear, facing the railway
tracks, the “Gefängnis Zürich West” is a fully integrated part of the building volume but functionally
just as fully separated from the rest of the building. The connection to the police section and the public
prosecutor’s office is via the central interrogation area, which fulfils a central objective for the PJZ as
a gateway between pretrial detention and criminal prosecution along the entire length of the prison:
Whereas previously prisoners, police officers, lawyers, witnesses or interpreters had to travel long
distances throughout the city, the entire interrogation process is now handled in a focussed manner
in one central location. The remand centre is accessed via a separate entrance and comprises four
almost identical but largely separate modules. Each module comprises around 40 cells, which are
arranged around a green inner courtyard facing away from the outer façades. The insights gained from
the modern penal system have resulted in an unexpectedly “homely” design for most of the cells,
featuring parquet flooring and brightly painted walls and ceilings; the windows with narrow opening
sashes are extensively glazed and, with a few exceptions, do not have bars. In addition, there are a
large number of special cells and rooms as required for prison operations.

“Counterworlds” – communal spaces with differentiated design

The work of the police and judiciary is intensive and often very stressful. The shared spaces as well
as the green outdoor areas are therefore designed with similar materials to the “working world”, but
with a more differentiated spatial concept. The organic design of the inner courtyards with various
green spaces and strong imagery provides a deliberate contrast to the hardness of the building structu-
re. The catering area on the ground floor, which is connected to the atrium, takes up this approach and
reinforces the deliberate contrast to the building’s large form with its soft organic shapes. A natural
lighting concept with glazed and lushly planted atriums, curved furniture elements, wood panelling
and natural stone create a special place for the restaurant, but also a central lounge and meeting zone
away from the working world. The same applies to the Room of Silence, which is made entirely of
wood and is available to all users in the centre of the building. The central conference area also offers
a special spatial experience: located above the main entrance and atrium, it forms the upper end of
the building, striking both in terms of urban planning and architecture. A spacious, high-ceilinged
foyer and meeting zone with lounge furniture welcomes visitors with a sweeping view of the city. This
area is flanked by the glazed and flexibly partitionable conference rooms. The Zurich Police and Justice
Centre is the first building of its kind in Switzerland. Similar centres were already being considered in
other cantons during the planning phase and various competitions have since followed. Following the
positive experience in Zurich, the concept is likely to set a precedent in other places too. Grundriss 1. Obergeschoss – Zellen um Höfe • Floor plan level +1 – Prison cells around yards

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