Elysium

Hardbrücke, Switzerland

LOCATION

Hardbrücke, Switzerland

PROJECT AREA

115'125.00 m²

YEAR

2025

PROJECT COLLABORATORS

Studioforma (Architektur, Interior Design)

Elysium, envisioned by Studioforma, is a bold exploration of what urban living could become. Rising 240 metres above Zurich, it transforms the skyscraper into a vertical neighbourhood where nature, culture, and community coexist. More than a tower, it is a living experiment in sustainable design and inclusive urban evolution. Its hybrid structure and sky gardens blur the line between architecture and ecosystem.

Celebrated with the Iconic Awards, MUSE Awards, and BLT Design Awards for innovation and design excellence, Elysium is not just imagined for the future — it dares to redefine it.

Urban Density, Reimagined

Elysium is conceived as a vertical neighbourhood: 612 thoughtfully designed apartments—one-third reserved as affordable housing—alongside a hotel, cultural venues, retail, and generous communal areas. It is a city within a city, blending Alpine serenity with metropolitan vibrancy to create a place where nature, community, and design thrive together.
Unlike conventional commissions, Elysium is a client-free initiative, developed as a research framework rather than a fixed project. Its name—Experimental Living Architecture for the Youthful, Sustainable, and Inclusive Urban Metropolis—positions it as a manifesto for future urban living. By reclaiming underused land and outdated infrastructure, it transforms neglected areas into green public spaces, all located at a transport hub that encourages walking, cycling, and transit over car use.

Design for People and Planet

Elysium rises like a forest in the sky. Timber and concrete columns ascend into planted terraces that cool the structure, foster biodiversity, and soften its silhouette. At street level, cafés and shops animate the base, conceived as a public plaza rather than a private lobby. From levels 9 to 20, a five-star hotel is envisioned, while levels 23 to 70 host serviced apartments for families, professionals, and global citizens. At 64 metres, a panoramic lift opens onto a sky lobby, a lush indoor forest offering 360-degree views of Zurich. Above, a sky plaza crowns the tower with outdoor communal spaces, elevating the social experience both literally and figuratively.

“Elysium is not about height for height’s sake — it is about building smarter, better, and using every metre of space to enrich city life,” says Alex Leuzinger, Founding Partner of Studioforma. “We envi-sion a tower that unites housing, culture, and sustainability in one vertical community. It is a vision of how cities can grow without losing their human soul.”

Sustainability at Scale

Materials are carefully chosen: 1’200 cubic metres of timber flooring would save an estimated 3,100 tonnes of CO₂. The building is envisioned to absorb 16 tonnes of CO₂ and produce 8 tonnes of oxygen annually—equivalent to a 23,000 m² forest. From its tapered silhouette to its rhythmic façade of timber, concrete, and glazing, Elysium integrates environmental logic into every layer.

Mantis: A Bridge to Culture

Beside the tower, Mantis redefines the role of infrastructure. This pedestrian bridge rises from street level to the twelfth floor, linking the station precinct to the elevated courtyard while preserving Frau Gerolds Garten and the viaduct. Beneath it,
a 1’256-seat open-air amphitheatre provides Zurich with a bold new cultural stage.

A New Icon for Zurich

Together, Elysium with Mantis symbolises a turning point in Swiss urban design. It showcases Zurich’s readiness to lead not only in liveability but also in visionary ambition. By combining sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural richness, the project sets a benchmark for what vertical living could mean in the 21st century.