The Circle Zurich

Riken Yamamoto - The architect and visionary of The Circle

Born 1945 in Beijing, China, Architect: 1967 Bachelor at Nihon University, 1971 Master at Tokyo University oft he Arts, studied at the University of Tokyo with Hiroshi Hara, 1973 founded Yamamoto & Fields Shop Co.Ltd, Professor at Yokohama National University and at the Graduate School of Engineering of Nihon University

His most famous works are the Rotunda Building (Yokohama, 1981); the Hamlet Building (Tokyo, Shibuya-Ku, 1988) and the Ryukoentoshi apartment blocks (Yokohama, 1992).

Riken Yamamoto has received numerous awards for his work. Among others, the prize of the Japan Institute of Architects for the Yokosuka Museum of Art (2010)

It is said that he was inspired by the architecture of The Circle in Zurich’s old town. The Niederdorf is characterized by winding alleys and a dense architecture. And if you look at the entirety of The Circle on the surface, the connection is certainly successful. Although the modern construction, the building method itself, at first glance seems to be miles away from the historic Villabassa. Inside, as in the old town, there is a small town in itself. Stores, brands and services, business and lifestyle.

The entire property The Circle stands for a compact construction method with only 30,000 m² of land use. Slightly curved towards the airport, but open towards the park, inside the circle. The curved glass facade rises up to 14 meters directly opposite the airport. Read the detailed architectural description of The Circle here. (The article is only available in German.)

Minergie and LEED® certification

The building project sets new standards not only in its architecture, but also in its energy standards. The supply of heat and cold is provided by underground storage. This means that by recovering energy and water, the demand is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the photovoltaic system on the roof of the building serves as a natural source of energy.

The Circle is Minergie and LEED® certified. What does this mean?

Minergie is a Swiss construction standard for new and modernized buildings. The focus is on living and working comfort. Made possible by a high-quality building envelope and systematic air renewal. Minergie buildings are also characterized by very low energy requirements and a high proportion of renewable energy.

Leadership Energy and Environmental Design was developed by the US Green Building Council and is subject to seven criteria: sustainable construction, water conservation, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, comfort and room quality, location and development, and innovation. A maximum of 110 points are awarded for evaluation - THE CIRCLE is certified to the highest standard LEED® PLATINUM.

Attractive office space, two hotels of the Hyatt hotel group with Convention Centre, a medical competence center, different brand worlds as well as art, culture, gastronomy and education. THE CIRCLE offers an innovative mix of uses that creates synergies with one another - and thus a unique overall atmosphere.