Zurich architecture walking tours, Swiss building guides, Switzerland architectural walks, Architects

Zurich Architecture Tours

Swiss Architecture Guides – Tailored Building Walks in Switzerland tailor made for Groups, pre-booking.

Post updated 14 September 2024

Contact e-architect for your walking guide in Switzerland: isabelle(at)e-architect.com

Zurich Architecture Tour: Exclusive Swiss Guided Walks

Our Zurich guided tours are all tailored to suit each booking, ie our Swiss guided tours are all exclusive to each client.

Should you be planning an architectural trip to Switzerland please contact us.

Flexhouse on Lake Zurich:
Flexhouse - Zurich architecture tours
photograph © Peter Würmli

Zurich Walking Tours

Zurich Architecture – Introduction

Zurich is a key city in northern Switzerland. The capital of the canton of Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. There are about 390,000 inhabitants, and the Zurich metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1.83 million.

The Kameha Grand in Zurich:
The Kameha Grand - Zurich architecture walking tours
picture from architects

Zurich is a major financial centre. Low tax rates attract overseas companies to locate their headquarters in this large Swiss city. Zurich is often named as the wealthiest city in Europe, and sometimes also as the city with the best quality of life in the world.

Archaeology Museum Building Zürich:
Archaeology Museum Building Switzerland
photograph © Daniel Stauch

Zurich has a wide range of contemporary architecture. Key buildings include the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus.

Please see a selection below of some interesting recent architectural designs in the largest Swiss city:

Tic Tric Trac in Zürich

Blumenhaus in Zürich

K.I.S.S. Residential Development Zurich Housing
K.I.S.S. Residential Development Zurich Housing
photo : Peter Wurmli

Key recent buildings include the Library of the Institute of Law by Santiago Calatrava Architects (video below), and close by, the Kunsthaus Zürich extension by David Chipperfield Architects (when e-architect visited Zurich early in 2019 the art gallery extension was almost totally clad, but still behind low-level hoardings).

Film on YouTube

Another building by Santiago Calatrava Architects is the Stadelhofen Station. Outside the city is the Dolder Grand Hotel Building on Lake Zurich by Foster + Partners with Itten + Brechbüh. Finally we recommend visiting the Conversion Theatre 11 by EM2N Architects.

Zurich Architecture : key buildings to visit in the city

Zurich Architecture Walking Tours

Zurich Architectural Tours can focus on traditional buildings, contemporary Swiss buildings or both. The Zurich Architecture Tour can introduce the city’s principal buildings or can be structured around your group’s architectural interests.

There are a number of suggested routes for the Zurich walking tours, but here is the key one:

Züri West Guided Tour

Explore Züri West – a quarter located west of the Main Central Railway Station. A quarter that once witnessed the industrial revolution is today a focal point for gastronomy, art, design, culture and architecture. The factories have long since moved away, leaving behind them extensive industrial sites that creative minds have put to good use.

Zurich Architecture:
Zurich Architecture Tour Zurich Architecture Tour Zurich Architecture Tours Zurich Architecture Tour Zurich Architectural Tour
pictures from our guide

It is founded on the old, which in turn bears and shapes the new. A guide to city’s past, present and future all at once. An impressive example of successful urban revitalisation.

A tour that will not only present you the most actual architectural activity in Zürich, but invite you to experience the hip life of a real Zuri-citizens within the landscape of bricks, concrete and glass, monumental factories, railways, pulsating restaurants and bars – the melting pot of this city in Switzerland.

Zurich Walking Tours

Contact Isabelle Lomholt to arrange your Zurich architectural tour: isabelle(at)e-architect.com

Payments are required for bookings prior to any architectural tour.

Swiss Architecture Designs – chronological list

Architecture Tours

e-architect also organise architecture walking tours in other European cities such as Stuttgart, Munich, Milan, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

European Building Tours – Selection

Berlin Architectural Walking Tours

Copenhagen Walking Tours

London Architecture Tours

Zurich Buildings

Contemporary Zurich Architectural Projects

Suggested architectural designs to visit Kunsthalle Zürich by Gigon/Guyer, Zurich theatre building and the Zurich community building both by EM2N Architects, and finally, south of the city, the Tree Museum on Lake Zurich by Oppenheim Architecture + Design (Miami, FL).

New Swiss Architecture

Swiss Architects Offices

Swiss Buildings

Comments / photos for the Zurich Building ToursSwiss Architecture Guides by e-architect for pre-booked groups of visitors page welcome.

Zürich, Switzerland