ETH Zurich suspends plans to renovate the Polyterrasse

ETH Zurich has experienced a major growth spurt: student numbers have increased by 35 percent since 2010. Accordingly, new positions have been added to expand the size of the faculty (an increase of 22 percent in FTE positions since 2010), and numerous new professorships have been created to include new fields of research relevant to the future of society (e.g. artificial intelligence, health sciences, quantum technology).

In view of the general space situation for staff and academic growth, ETH Zurich has planned several construction projects, including new buildings on the Hönggerberg campus and renovations to existing buildings. In the case of the canteen and multi-purpose building (MM) and Polyterrasse (“Renovation MM”), the Executive Board has now decided to suspend its plans for extension and total renovation. In other words, the MM building and Polyterrasse will be left in their current state. The planned redesign of the Polyterrasse, as well as the creation of new entrances to the MM building and new spaces for sports and events, will not take place either.

Aligning priorities with financial realities

The decision was made on the basis of current financial developments: “Although the number of students will continue to grow sharply, the federal financial contribution will not be able to cover this growth in the future – among other things, due to the coronavirus situation. For this reason, ETH Zurich’s Executive Board must plan ahead proactively, budget cautiously and set priorities,” explains ETH President Joël Mesot.

“In view of further decisions concerning construction investment in the coming years and financial obligations of roughly half a billion francs, the Executive Board has decided here that its basic legal mandate – that is, teaching, research and knowledge transfer – must take precedence over expanding and renovating the MM building and Polyterrasse.”

This decision means that the multi-level temporary restaurant that was to be built above Karl-Schmid-Strasse is no longer required. Suspending the two projects will enable ETH Zurich to reduce its budget for construction investment over the next six years by 22.5 million Swiss francs annually (135 million francs in total).

This will give it greater financial flexibility to implement innovative research buildings, such as the new HPQ centre for physics on the Hönggerberg campus or the infrastructure for existing appointments of professors.

Pragmatic implementation and focus

 “It goes without saying that ETH continues to take seriously its legal mandate to maintain its current inventory of buildings,” adds Ulrich Weidmann, Vice President for Infrastructure. “The MM and Polyterrasse will be renovated in stages with pragmatic partial renovations. The large-scale refurbishment that is necessary due to the age of the building will follow from about 2028 at the earliest, but without any underground expansion.” The MM building and Polyterrasse were built in the 1970s.

In an initial phase, the mandatory renovations (e.g. fire protection) and technical maintenance (e.g. ventilation in sporting areas) will be completed quickly. The planning will take place this year, followed by implementation over the next few years. In addition, a new project start in the next two years to determine how ETH Zurich can renovate the MM and Polyterrasse cost-effectively starting around 2028, using existing structures and without structural expansion.

Benefits for the university district

Suspending the MM redevelopment project will also simplify the development of the Zurich City University District (HGZZ) from 2022 to 2027. Since the pared-down MM upgrade project will not begin before 2028, it will eliminate the time overlap with the large “Campus MITTE1” and “Forum UZH” construction projects of the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, which are scheduled to open in 2028. The neighbourhoods will be spared some of the emissions and construction site traffic, and Leonhardstrasse, which passes under the Polyterrasse, will not be subject to a multi-year closure.

ETH Zurich will begin negotiations immediately with the planning and architecture firms concerned to ensure an orderly conclusion of the current project.

The end of a growth phase?

The abandonment of the MM renovation and expansion marks a turning point for the Executive Board, insofar as it clearly demonstrates that in light of the foreseeable financial trajectory, ETH can no longer pursue the same expansion course as in recent years. “Restraint and precisely defined priorities are imperative. The Executive Board will therefore need the understanding and cooperation of all academic and administrative and technical staff, as well as our partner organisations,” says Robert Perich, Vice President for Finance and Controlling.