It’s almost finished—the new Haus zum Falken, right at Stadelhofen Station. Santiago Calatrava actually began his career here in Zurich, and Stadelhofen Station was one of his earliest works. Now, decades later, he’s returned to add a new feature to the station’s exterior: Calatrava meets Calatrava.
I have to say, I like it a lot. The house isn’t big—as the architect himself noted in an interview—but it’s full of detail. Classic Calatrava, and I think it suits Zurich well. After all, we’ll never get an Oculus like New York’s or a L’Hemisfèric like Valencia’s; Switzerland is too reserved for that, and Zurich in particular tends to sideline bold architecture in favour of the boring “Swiss box.” So, I’m really pleased to see at least this one in such a prominent location.
