Dear Zurich #2 - Transforming the Sihl Riverbanks
Type: Architecture Illustrations, exhibition
Title: Dear Zuirch #2
Author(s): Elias Bey
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Graphite, Ink / Digital Coloring
59,4 x 84,1 cm (59,4 x 84,1 cm printed)
2026
Title: Dear Zuirch #2
Author(s): Elias Bey
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Graphite, Ink / Digital Coloring
59,4 x 84,1 cm (59,4 x 84,1 cm printed)
2026
This project envisions the transformation of the Sihl riverbanks between the Wiedikon Viaduct and Zurich Main Station, a stretch of underutilized urban space holding extraordinary potential. Today, these banks serve as an informal corridor where muddy improvised paths and scattered use disturb local wildlife while offering little real connection for pedestrians and cyclists. Right on top of the train tracks of Zuirch Selnau, running underneath the rived,
the proposal creates a continuous north-south spine linking existing infrastructure: train stations, tram bridges, and routes leading into the city center. By establishing dedicated bike and pedestrian paths along the Sihl, the design strengthens vertical connectivity and transforms how people move between different parts of Zurich. The Sihl presents a unique challenge. Its waters run clear but brown with silt, too shallow and rocky for recreation, a stark contrast to the turquoise Limmat. The existing green buffer sustains bird species, fish, and amphibians vital to the city’s ecology. The design preserves this wild character through dense riparian vegetation: swampland grasses, fallen trunks, and water-loving trees creating a protective belt between the new promenade and the river’s edge. Built to withstand brief submersion during high water events, the infrastructure acknowledges the Sihl’s seasonal rhythm. Since the Entlastungsstollen diverts excess flow into the lake, flooding no longer threatens the district, allowing temporary closures when needed, much like Basel, Bern, or Paris manage their waterfronts.
Will the Sihlraum remain an overlooked edge, or emerge as the Sihl Promenade, a green artery where urban ecology and human movement coexist?
the proposal creates a continuous north-south spine linking existing infrastructure: train stations, tram bridges, and routes leading into the city center. By establishing dedicated bike and pedestrian paths along the Sihl, the design strengthens vertical connectivity and transforms how people move between different parts of Zurich. The Sihl presents a unique challenge. Its waters run clear but brown with silt, too shallow and rocky for recreation, a stark contrast to the turquoise Limmat. The existing green buffer sustains bird species, fish, and amphibians vital to the city’s ecology. The design preserves this wild character through dense riparian vegetation: swampland grasses, fallen trunks, and water-loving trees creating a protective belt between the new promenade and the river’s edge. Built to withstand brief submersion during high water events, the infrastructure acknowledges the Sihl’s seasonal rhythm. Since the Entlastungsstollen diverts excess flow into the lake, flooding no longer threatens the district, allowing temporary closures when needed, much like Basel, Bern, or Paris manage their waterfronts.
Will the Sihlraum remain an overlooked edge, or emerge as the Sihl Promenade, a green artery where urban ecology and human movement coexist?
