Parking garage Opéra

The new underground car park “Parkhaus Opéra” directly adjacent to Zurich Opera House is living proof that not all car parks are born equal. The company responsible for building and running the new car park is Parkhaus Opéra AG, a consortium of Hardturm AG and AMAG Automobil- und Motoren AG. Now, after 13 years of planning, design and construction – interrupted for a year to dig up some spectacular archaeological artefacts – a car park has emerged that is nothing like the slightly eerie, unsavoury places that we have come to expect. It is an expression of its immediate surroundings: a unique, carefully choreographed work of art.

A parking garage everyone can be proud of

The new car park below Sechseläutenplatz square exudes culture. Brightly lit, equipped with the very latest in safety, security and ventilation technology, and with 13 video projectors showing images and videos from the Opera House’s current productions, it feels like an events venue. Clear but unobtrusive lettering and signs guide drivers and pedestrians through the car park’s 299 parking spaces, spread over two levels, to the exits. The atmosphere is light and airy throughout.

History rescued by the future

The staircase on the lake side of the car park beneath Bellevue square takes pedestrians on a journey through almost 6,000 years of history. On the way up they can see an archaeological display window where prehistoric artefacts and a video testify to the rich history of the former Sechseläutenwiese and the ground below it. When the construction of Parkhaus Opéra was interrupted for nine months, 50 archaeologists used that time to unearth more than 20,000 archaeological artefacts underneath the site. Because the items were buried in sediment that protected them from the air, they are superbly preserved. In this way the construction of the new car park gave rise to an archaeological find of international significance – including Zurich’s oldest door. The artefacts provide numerous new insights into the economic and social structure of the city’s first human communities.

Topped with Switzerland’s biggest city square

Car park users taking the exit on the Stadelhofen side can enjoy an espresso in the new Collana cafe and bar on Sechseläutenplatz square, from where they can admire views of the Üetliberg mountain or simply take in the striking spectacle of this huge square paved with Vals quartzite. Parkhaus Opéra is good news both for the cars below and for the pedestrians above, who now benefit from unobstructed views and plenty of space for relaxed strolls. This will surely be appreciated by everyone interested in ensuring Zurich remains a great city to live in.