A market shaped bridge:
the «Gemüsebrücke»

The Rathausbrücke is Zurich's first river crossing over the Limmat and connects the two parts of the old town. It was first mentioned in a document in 1221 - 4 chronological steps with 4 bridge types each: Roman bridge, medieval wooden bridge, iron bridge and contemporary concrete bridge. (1) The structure in its current form, designed between 1971 and 1973 by ZAS-member Manuel Pauli and Edy Toscano, replaced a cast-iron construction from the 19th century that had to be dismantled due to corrosion damage. In 1881-1882, the cast-iron bridge was built by Ludwig Tetmajer. The competition called in 1967 sought a combined solution of a new bridge and butcher's hall, «Fleischhalle», which was already demolished in 1962, but due to a negative referendum, the realisation of the latter was abandoned. (2) In addition, Manuel Pauli's design still included a water wheel on the site of the old Schipfe. Its function as a meeting and market place and the resulting structural width refer to the original wooden bridge from the 14th century. As the alleys of the Niederdorf seemed too narrow for a market, a «square» had to be built over the river. The structure owes its nickname «Gemüsebrücke» (vegetable bridge) to this function. (3)

The bridge serves as an extension of Marktgasse from Niederdorf to Weinplatz and Schwanengasse; it is the central part of a sequence of three squares flowing into each other. It is a slab bridge made of reinforced concrete, with a threefold stepped ground plan on the lake side. The design is characterised by prefabricated cylindrical concrete elements that house the technical installations. (4) Even during its construction, the design of the bridge triggered controversial discussions. (5) In its current condition, the Rathausbrücke is in need of repair, and in addition, due to the AWEL flood protection project, it no longer meets the technical requirements. (6) The existing structure will be replaced by a trapezoidal construction in 2024. The design comes from Bänziger Partner AG. In contrast to the massive appearance of the Pauli Bridge, it proposes a filigree and simple construction. The «Rösslirytschuel», which stands on the bridge from August to October, should also be taken into account in the new design. (7)

The original planning envisaged a protective roofing for food stalls with the MERO system, which was, however, replaced by a flat blind construction in 1977 due to vehement criticism and lack of approval. (8) The original, room-supporting columns serve as supports for the blind construction. The MERO roof found its new place in 1977 in a scaled-down form on the Postterasse Wipkingen and is part of the roof garden design. Colloquially, the roof is called an «egg box», «Eierschachtel». To prevent its planned demolition in 2010, the blue colour was restored by Eva Pauli, referencing its original location on the bridge. (9) Instead of the former textile infill, the space framework was partially lined with metal panels.

In typological terms, the Limmat crossing «represents an absolute special case in Switzerland and beyond», as there is no bridge of comparable constructive width. The striking design underlines the structural link between the river sides. (10) It still forms a central place for Zurich and even today vegetable is sold there from local farmers. As the markets today have the pressure to sell everything as their super-(market)-counterparts, they have to buy everything else at the Engrosmarkt that they cannot produce seasonally there. Prices for market stands are high and are regulated by the city police. Therefore markets are regarded as rather high priced and special. Nevertheless, the «Gemüsebrücke» is a strong example for how food forms a structure and produces new typologies.

Text reworked after a project for the course «Future Monuments» in HS20.

(1) - S.N., "Rathausbrücke", City of Zurich, 2020. stadt-zürich.ch (retrieved 03.11.2020) and Baumann, Walter: "Vom Zollübergang zur Rathausbrücke", in: NZZ, 11.08.1982, 35.
(2) - See Tiefbauamt (2018).
(3) - See: City of Zurich (2020).
(4) - S.N., «Rathausbrücke Zürich : Architekt Manuel Pauli BSA/SIA, Zürich», in: Das Werk 59 (1972), 269-271, 270.
(5) - Tiefbauamt (2018), S. 25 Bezug auf Artikel in der NZZ von 13.11.1973: «Die neue Brücke lässt denkmalpflegerischen Respekt in erschreckender Weise vermissen».
(6) - Tiefbauamt (2018), 5. Die Durchflussmenge des Wassers ist zu geringen bei eventuellem Hochwasser.
(7) - Bruns, Julian, «Eine Brücke macht Platz», in: Architehese, 20.05.2019 (retrieved 03.11.2020).
(8) - The MERO system is a space-containing node-rod supporting structure. See also: MERO-Raumstruktur-GmbH Und Co. MERO-Konstruktions-Atlas. Würzburg, 1976.
(9) - Arnet, Helen, «Wipkingens ‹Eierschachtel› soll abgebrochen werden», in: Tagesanzeiger, 12.09.2010 (abgerufen 03.11.2020).
(10) - Barraud Wiener, Christine und Peter Jezler, Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Zürich. Die Stadt Zürich I (Neue Ausgabe Band I), Basel, 1999, 172; in Tiefbauamt (2018), 30.


images: 1,2 - Tiefbauamt Zürich
3 - BAZ
4 - 8000.agency
5,6 - private archive Manuel Pauli, copy right Eva Pauli
7 - S.N., «Rathausbrücke Zürich : Architekt Manuel Pauli BSA/SIA, Zürich», in: Das Werk
59 (1972), 269-271.
8 - BAZ
9 - drawn by BSV
10 - BSV