The most dynamic of cities often grow organically; bringing together academia, private enterprise, government research centers, and think tanks -- a diverse populace and an urban landscape that encourages interaction, Silicon Valley being the best example of such an environment.  It has been long debated in other parts of the world if such innovation and collaboration can be recreated through deliberate planning. Many cities boast superior academic institutions or a thriving private sector in a niche industry such as biotech or hi-tech. But how does one create an environment encouraging the collaboration required to create a community that draws people from around the world? How does one foster that organic growth?

Science City in Zurich, Switzerland is one such example of a planned community bringing together the best of what a region has to offer.  Conceived by visionary Professor Gerhard Schmitt, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Vice President Planning and Logistics and former ETH Dean of Architecture, Prof. Schmitt originally perceived the need for a physical interactive hub in Zurich’s rich science and technology landscape. Top-notch development and research calls for international exchange between top professionals. International researchers and lecturers are a fixture at ETH, where Albert Einstein himself once studied and taught. Only half of its professors are Swiss nationals.

Science City captures the idea of linking all elements of an urban area together through existing institutions and planned construction. The hub of Science City is ETH, the most prestigious scientific institution in Europe today. The ETH Hoenggerberg campus, currently under redevelopment, will be linked with downtown Zurich and areas of the city where concentrations of private sector and government research facilities exist. Residences will be added for short and long term occupants carrying out work in the area and the architecture has taken a drastic veer away from the traditional Zurich model of closed spaces in building. In its stead will be open spaces encouraging collaboration and flow of communication between various groups, office spaces for joint research labs alongside world renowned scientist’s, technologies and entrepreneurs.  Science City will present a new urban quarter.

Switzerland has one of the highest research and development (R&D) budgets in the world. The IBM Research Laboratory and Paul Scherrer Institute are just two of dozens of prestigious centers that populate the landscape. The Zurich area is also home to a number of service providers in the field of technology transfer.

For more information on how your company can take advantage of opportunities that exist in Science City and the region, please contact Erika Weidner with Greater Zurich Area (GZA) at 415-912-5909. GZA, a public-private partnership, aids US based businesses evaluating the region for expansion.  US offices are based in San Francisco, California.

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