What would happen if we started noticing how spaces were designed, who they were designed for, and who occupies them? ‘More than Humans’ invites us to do just that. This project provided an opportunity to analyse, study and understand how Oerliker Park is used by those who are ‘non-human’, through the question: How would designed ecologies change if they were designed less for human-centred use and more to support and amplify biodiversity and ecological restoration
Oerliker Park
Oerliker Park also known as “Blauer Turm” is a post-industrial urban park developed in Zurich-Oerlikon during the district’s transition from rail- and industry-dominated land to a dense mixed-use neighborhood. The project is often cited as an early European example of designed ecology embedded within urban regeneration, rather than a decorative green space added after development.
As seen from above (or from the top of the blue tower) the trees are located following a 8×8 grid logic considering species from all around the world: Betula pendula, European Birch; Fraxinus Excelsior, European Ash; Liquidambar styraciflua, Sweetgum; Paulownia tomentosa, Princess Tree; Prunus avium, Wild Cherry.
Tree Thining
The chronology of the park tells its own story. When it opened in 2001, roughly 1,000 trees had been planted in the years prior. 1999–2001: 900+ young ash trees planted to form a dense canopy, by 2018 a plague of Ash dieback (unknown at the time) caused widespread tree failure wich lead to 400 trees removed, this allowed the renewal of 140 new trees planted with larger soil pits and a total of now 7 diverse species used to increase resilience and prevent future mass loss. As an inicitative of prevention of a similar incident the park introduced a thining program that would lead to the reduction of the total amount of trees.
Soil Composition
What once was an industrial part of Zurich, has now become a residential and lived neighborhood. Its transition was embodied within the concept of the park. Looking at its soil composition, the toxic residues in the original soil were isolated by placing a thick layer of asphalt. With a layer of drainage, and a healthy soil of sand, gravel and living materials, the park is now built on a fresh layer, serving as a metaphor to the growing residential fabric of Oerliker.
However, 2008, a fungi outbreak put in peril and killed one half of the park. Almost 400 of the Ashes in the west-wing of Oerliker had to be removed. The hymenoscyphus fraxineus spread had just spread through Zurich and European cities for the first time, and a proved effective method of increasing tree biodiversity on site was adopted to prevent future outbreaks. This process of introducing more tree species was completed in 2018. The park went from its initial 5 species — Betula pendula, European Birch; Fraxinus Excelsior, European Ash; Liquidambar styraciflua, Sweetgum; Paulownia tomentosa, Princess Tree; Prunus avium, Wild Cherry — to its current day 14 species, presented in image 5.
The Chronology of Oerliker Park
