The Limmattal sets the standard for living in Zurich

Anyone looking for a flat in Zurich soon realises there’s too little supply, prices are too high, and there’s too much frustration. A few kilometres down the Limmat in Spreitenbach, the new Tivoli Garten mega-development is filling up rapidly. 445 flats, a 200-million-franc investment, over 90 per cent let even before all the flats have been occupied. The Limmat Valley shows how housing can work.

The idea behind the Tivoli Garten is not a new one. The project was planned by the Migros Aare co-operative and two property funds managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management. The owner and developer is MEG Tivoli Garten. The main contractor is Eiffage Suisse AG. After around five years of construction, a development now stands on the Shoppi-Tivoli site that has fundamentally transformed the landscape of Spreitenbach. Two 65-metre-high towers rise above the three- to seven-storey blocks. The building’s mass is equivalent to the weight of a thousand Airbus A380s.

What has been created here
At the heart of the development are 445 rental flats ranging from 1.5 to 5.5 rooms, designed by the Zurich-based firm Dachtler Partner. The ground floor comprises over 3,000 square metres of space for retail, offices, medical practices and restaurants. A semi-public pedestrian network connects the development directly to Shoppi Tivoli. There are also green spaces, a playground, a yoga room and a nursery in the inner courtyard.

Rents as the strongest selling point
The prices speak for themselves. A 1.5-room flat starts at 1,075 Swiss francs a month. The 2.5-room flats are available from 1,885 Swiss francs, whilst the 3.5-room flats range from 1,805 to 2,545 Swiss francs, depending on the floor. The 5.5-room penthouse, with sweeping views over the Limmat Valley, costs 3,075 Swiss francs. This means that prices are in some cases up to 40 per cent lower than comparable properties in Zurich. In a city where new-build flats designed by star architects stand empty for months on end simply because they are too expensive, this is quite a statement.

Zurich is on the move, but with a new address
Over 250 people from the city of Zurich have already taken the plunge and moved to the Limmat Valley. More than half of the tenants are aged between 18 and 34. This is a demographic that is mobile, accepts commuting times and prioritises rent over lifestyle. The Limmattalbahn takes them to Zurich-Altstetten in around 25 minutes. The integrated ‘Spreitenbach, Shoppi Tivoli’ stop is right on the doorstep.

A stop as the key
From the outset, this connectivity was no coincidence, but a deliberate concept. The estate is successful not in spite of its location on the city outskirts, but because of it. More affordable rents, a direct rail link, shopping on your doorstep. What is seen as a compromise in Zurich works here as a mark of quality. Tivoli Garten is already home to over 700 people. The Limmat Valley has found its answer to Zurich’s housing market.

Text: Jessica Bill • Image: Tivoli Garten