Pioneering Lisbeth Sachs is the Swiss architect behind the inspiration for creative collective Annexe’s reimagining of the Swiss pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
characterful work is aptly represented in this compact home
which was completed in 1976 and is located on the shores of Lake Hallwil (Hallwilersee)
‘He had a practice as a dentist in Affoltern am Albis
a village about 25km from Aesch and Zürich,’ says Martin Kehrer
who married the original client‘s daughter
‘He loved sailing and that‘s why he was looking to buy a plot by a lake in the area
He owned two little sailing boats and wished for a weekend house not too far from his main home
Strauss knew Sachs and thought that the architect’s sensitive and emotional approach to architecture would fit the project well.’
who designed and built several high-quality projects in Switzerland starting in the 1950s
was also one of the first female architects practicing in the country
taught by architect Otto Rudolf Salvisberg at ETH
and was one of only five women in her class
Her career kicked off with a competition win to design the Kurtheater Baden
a large theatre complex for the Canton of Aargau
who came second in the competition and was assigned to her as an advisor
The resulting structure features an elegant
circular glass pavilion and several original design elements
including lighting fixtures and furniture pieces
Sachs worked predominantly on residential architecture
Sachs was also an important and keen writer in her field
She produced pieces for key Swiss journals in her field
which allowed her to address the global architecture scene
she explored the work of seminal figures of her era
She developed a poetic and organic approach to architecture
She argued: ‘Architecture should be a new reference to nature
in which human existence and transience are included
in the feeling of an all-encompassing relationship between plants
also between the creations of humans and nature.’
Nature is an important element in Strauss Summer House
which was nicknamed ‘Im Schilf’ (In the Reeds)
my wife’s father purchased about 3,000 sq m of land here
But a little after the construction of this house
the area was declared a nature and wildlife reserve and it was impossible to build any more structures there
We are particularly pleased that this extraordinary summer house was also declared as an object to preserve a few years ago,’ says Kehrer
Sachs demonstrated her take on organic architecture in the house’s lyrical arrangement of materials and shapes
A concrete base supports an octagonal wooden structure with angled forms and a sloping roof
She worked with experienced carpenters who could address her complex geometries and was very involved in the construction progress
attending her building sites frequently and supervising the fabrication of different elements
‘I admire her ability to build such complicated wooded structures without the help of 3D computers,’ says Kehrer
The house contains two south-facing bedrooms upstairs for the children
while to the north are two more bedrooms for the parents
with its double-height ceiling and monumental fireplace
was the family’s main gathering place
made of pieces of glass and ceramic embedded into concrete
are reminiscent of the artistry in the work of Swiss painter Paul Klee
Klee‘s influences on Sachs were explored in a dedicated exhibition titled Architektur mit Klee at the Zentrum Paul Klee Bern last year
escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Now, this lesser-known Swiss architect is about to have a moment. Curators and architects Elena Chiavi, Kathrin Füglister, Amy Perkins and Myriam Uzor of the Annexe group were selected to represent Switzerland at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale
In collaboration with artist Axelle Stiefel and graphic designer Emma Kouassi
temporary art installation designed by Sachs for the 1958 Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work (SAFFA) in Zürich
the team asks: ‘What would have happened if it was Lisbeth Sachs
who had designed the Swiss Pavilion in the Giardini della Biennale di Venice?’ Their answer pays homage to Sachs’ life and work
The display will be accompanied by work by architecture historian Rahel Hartmann Schweizer
author of ‘Lisbeth Sachs – Architektin
Publizistin’ for gta Verlang in 2020
Sachs and her work will claim a deserved spot in the Swiss architecture discourse
Adam Štěch is an architectural historian, curator, writer and photographer, based in Prague. He is the author of books including Modern Architecture and Interiors (2006), editor of design magazine Dolce Vita and a contributor to titles including Wallpaper* and Frame, while also teaching at Scholastika in Prague.
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volume 2 - 2011 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2011.00270
Several fungi present high tolerance to toxic metals and some are able to transform metals into metal–oxalate complexes
the ability of Beauveria bassiana to produce copper oxalates was evaluated
Growth performance was tested on various copper-containing media
bassiana proved highly resistant to copper
tolerating concentrations of up to 20 g L−1
and precipitating copper oxalates on all media tested
Chromatographic analyses showed that this species produced oxalic acid as sole metal chelator
The production of metal–oxalates can be used in the restoration and conservation of archeological and modern metal artifacts
The production of copper oxalates was confirmed directly using metallic pieces (both archeological and modern)
The conversion of corrosion products into copper oxalates was demonstrated as well
In order to assess whether the capability of B
bassiana to produce metal–oxalates could be applied to other metals
Iron appears to be directly sequestered in the wall of the fungal hyphae forming oxalates
the formation of a homogeneous layer on the object is not yet optimal
a co-precipitation of copper and silver oxalates occurred
As this greenish patina would not be acceptable on silver objects
silver reduction was explored as a tarnishing remediation
First experiments showed the transformation of silver nitrate into nanoparticles of elemental silver by an unknown extracellular mechanism
The production of copper oxalates is immediately applicable for the conservation of copper-based artifacts
For iron and silver this is not yet the case
bassiana to transform toxic metals using different immobilization mechanisms seems to offer considerable possibilities for industrial applications
such as the bioremediation of contaminated soils or the green synthesis of chemicals
On the other hand, there is a growing interest for the synthesis of inorganic materials by biological means because these are more environmental friendly processes. Novel applications of this are the use of microorganisms for corrosion control or protection of stone monuments, which were recently illustrated in literature (Cappitelli et al., 2006; Zuo, 2007)
this could represent an innovative treatment for archeological and artistic metal artifacts
This will be in contrast to the treatments currently employed such as the application of organic protective coatings
which simply create a barrier against aggressive environments in a non-selective way
As part of the Biological patinA for arcHaeological and Artistic Metal ArtefactS (BAHAMAS) project
a novel approach based on inorganic treatments addressing specific corrosion features is envisaged for copper
These substrates are widely represented in cultural heritage artwork and face several problems of active corrosion
The research activities foreseen aim at creating protective fungal patinas by the conversion of existing corrosion products into more stable and less soluble compounds while maintaining the surface’s physical appearance
The color of the oxalate layer created will be different according to the treated metal substrate and is expected to be green
the aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of Beauveria bassiana to tolerate and transform copper
and silver compounds into stable compounds
bassiana was compared with four other phylogenetically related soil fungal species in order to establish whether B
bassiana is exceptionally promising for this biotechnological application
Beauveria bassiana was isolated from copper-contaminated vineyard soil (Bevaix Abbey
The Bevaix abbey vineyard soil (Neuchâtel
Switzerland) was treated for more than a century with copper-based pesticide agents and is highly contaminated with Cu (total concentration in soil reaches 350 ppm)
and Geomyces pannorum (MUCL 151) were provided from the culture collection BCCM/MUCL of the University of Louvain (Belgium)
The five strains are deposited in the culture collection of the Microbiology Laboratory (University of Neuchatel)
Agar malt extract medium (MA; 15 g L−1 agar and 12 g L−1 malt in distilled water) was autoclaved at 121°C, 25 min L−1. Different metal compounds were added to the medium for the specific experiments (Table 1). Brochantite Cu4(OH)6(SO4)4 and atacamite Cu2Cl(OH)3 were synthesized according to the literature (Sharkey and Lewin, 1971; Tanaka et al., 1991)
and silver nitrate AgNO3 were purchased from Fluka (purum)
Magnetite Fe3O4 and iron (III) oxide FeOOH were supplied by Aldrich (99.99%) and acanthite Ag2S by Riedel-de Haën (pure)
The different metal compounds were sterilized with an UV-rays exposure of 30 min and added to the media after autoclaving
these were added after autoclaving to the melted malt agar media at a temperature lower than 60°C
Cultures were incubated (unless otherwise stated) at room temperature in the dark
Composition of the different media used for the growth rates measurements
Beauveria bassiana was grown at room temperature for 21 days on two different malt agar media that contained 15 g L−1 agar and 8 or 12 g L−1 malt in distilled water (three replicates for each composition)
Cultures were filtrated on 0.2 μm Whatman paper and cell filtrates were lyophilized and suspended in 100 μL deionized water
The organic acids excretion was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV–VIS DAD detector
A calibration was established using 11 different organic acids as standards
An Agilent HPLC 1100 series controller was used with an ion-exchange column (H+ form
Forty-five microliters portions of triplicate samples were eluted for 20 min at 7 mL min−1
UV–VIS absorbance spectra of the acid function C = O were collected between 210 and 400 nm
and one copper coin from France (Louis XIII Double Tournois
C2) were used to evaluate the copper oxalate formation in a liquid medium
0.1 cm × 1.5 cm × 2 cm) were used for evaluate the copper oxalates formation in a solid medium
Two iron washers (W37 and W38) and two iron nails (N58 and N59) were used for evaluate the iron oxalates formation in a liquid medium
The experiments with solid media were performed on four window hinges (Fe1–Fe4) and four iron screws (Fe6–Fe9)
The silver oxalates formation was evaluated on a one Swiss Franc coin (Ag 83.5%/Cu 16.5% alloy) C3 from 1966
The different objects were not sterilized and placed in 85-mm diameter Petri dishes. For copper, a malt medium containing 12 g L−1 malt was used for the cultures in liquid medium on samples W33, W34, C1, and C2 (immersion <2 mm). For assays in solid medium cultures with copper, MA, and MABRO media (Table 1) were put onto the copper roof sheets R1 and R2 and their shape adapted to the size of the samples
bassiana was inoculated under a laminar flow hood using aliquots of spores suspended in water
Conidies were collected from cultures of B
bassiana onto MA petri dishes and suspended in deionized water in order to obtain enough conidies per square millimeter of the samples surface (at least 200 conidies for each Petri dish)
The copper oxalates formation was evaluated during 3 weeks through optical microscopy observations and FTIR spectroscopy analysis every week
An identical protocol was followed for iron
and MAIOH were used on samples Fe1–Fe4 and Fe6–Fe9
Liquid medium (malt 12 g L−1) was used on iron nails N58 and N59 and on iron washers W37 and W38
The precipitation of silver oxalates was evaluated on the sample C3 using a MA medium
The experimental protocol was the same as the one developed for copper
The experimental protocol was adapted from the literature (Vigneshwaran et al., 2007; Birla et al., 2009; Ingle et al., 2009)
bassiana onto MA petri dishes and suspended in deionized water in order to obtain a final concentration of 8 × 105 spores mL−1
bassiana spores were used to inoculate 250 ml Schott flasks each containing 100 mL of a malt medium (12 g L−1) and the flasks were placed under agitation (125 rpm) for 150 h in dark at room temperature
The culture was filtered on an 11-μm Whatman filter (previously sterilized under UV for 40 min) in order to separate mycelium and cell filtrate
The mycelium (in 24.5 mL deionized water) and 24.5 mL cell filtrate were inoculated each in 250 mL Schott flasks
Silver nitrate was added to obtain a final concentration of 6 mM Ag+ ions
The flasks were then incubated at room temperature under agitation (125 rpm) for 72 h
Controls were prepared in the same way but adding 24.5 mL deionized water instead
Bright field observations were performed using an Leica DMR optical microscope equipped with fixed oculars of 10× and objectives with different magnifications (5
Photomicrographs were recorded with a Nikon DXM1200 digital camera directly connected to the microscope and controlled through the ACT-1 software
A Tescan Mira LMU environmental scanning electron microscope
equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer was used to observe the crystals formed by B
and finally observed in the secondary electron mode at an acceleration voltage of 15 kV and a working distance of 5–25 mm
A Biorad Excalibur spectrometer coupled with a Varian UMA500 FTIR microscope fitted with an MCT detector cooled by liquid nitrogen was used for FTIR measurements
The measurements were made either in reflection mode or in transmission mode using a micro diamond compression cell
All spectra were acquired in the range 4000–650 cm−1
at a spectral resolution of 4 cm−1
A total of 64 scans were recorded and the resulting interferogram averaged
Data collection and post-run processing were carried out using Varian resolutions Pro™ software
A calibration was established using mixtures of dihydrated copper oxalate (CuC2O4·2H2O) and quartz with exact proportion
and MACUP media were dried at 60°C and then ground to a homogenous powder with particle size <40 μm
one sample of 800 mg has been pressed (20 bars) in a powder holder covered with a blotting paper and analyzed by XRD
Fixed analysis conditions were as follows: wave length: 1.5406 Å Cu Kα; generator power: 45 kV and 40 mA; emitting slits: 2
0.3 mm; continuous 2θ scan from 1° to 65°; step size: 0.02°; scan rate 1.00/min; acquisition step size (chopper increment; 0.03° 2θ)
Two-milliliter aliquots of cell filtrate were centrifuged at 10,000 g for 10 min and rinsed three times with deionized water
Mycelium was centrifuged at 10,000 g for 10 min
rinsed three times with deionized water and homogenized with a ultrasonic bath
Sodium chloride was added in order to precipitate the remaining silver (I) ions
which would interfere with the measurements
A UV–VIS Thermo Genesis 10 s spectrometer was used and absorbance spectra were recorded between 300 and 800 nm with 1 nm resolution
All statistical analyses were performed using R software
For experimental results on solid media with iron compounds
the significance (p < 0.05) of differences among growth rates was evaluated using one-way ANOVA for parametric data and a complementary Tukey’s post hoc test
bassiana to tolerate and form copper oxalates on different soil media containing cuprite (MACUP)
(A) Radial growth rates on solid media amended with Cu(II) concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 g L−1
The bars reflect mean values of three replicates
(B) Copper oxalates semi-quantitative estimation calculated from the XRD measurements and expressed in percentage of the dry weight of treated mycelium
High performance liquid chromatography separation spectra for B
bassiana cultures on MA medium with 8 g L−1 (black line) and 12 g L−1 (dash line) of malt together with the HPLC reference spectra of oxalic acid (gray line)
In addition, the characterization of copper oxalates formed by B. bassiana was further performed by means of ESEM observations, XRD, and FTIR measurements (Joseph et al., 2011)
These data completed the work here presented
ESEM observations allowed characterizing the crystals as rounded foil-like concretions
which were identified as moolooite (CuC2O4·nH2O with n < 1)
a natural hydrated copper oxalate by XRD and FTIR measurements on the three media MACUP
The precipitation of copper oxalates presented here has a potential application in the field of art conservation science. In fact, on outdoor exposed bronzes, copper oxalates are identified but not associated with the phenomenon of cyclical corrosion (Graedel et al., 1987). Instead they form green protective patinas on the bronze surface, which are highly insoluble and chemically stable even in acidic atmospheres (Marabelli and Mazzeo, 1993)
considering the production of copper oxalates demonstrated in B
bassiana prompted the evaluation of the formation of a homogenous layer of copper oxalates on corroded artifacts
The results showed that the original patina composed of brochantite is gradually transformed into copper oxalates and that the conversion is all but complete on the surface areas where B
Optimization of the treatment of copper objects with B
(A,B) Aspect of samples immersed in liquid medium inoculated with B
bassiana cultures after 3 weeks incubation
Embedded images present samples before treatment
(C,D) Optical microscopy observations of MA (C) and MABRO (D) medium after 7 days incubation of B
bassiana with R1 and R2 samples respectively
Red circles indicate the presence of copper oxalates
Reflectance FTIR spectra (2000–650 cm−1) obtained from the surface of the samples R1 and R2 after 1 (gray)
bassiana on MA (continuous lines) or MABRO (dash lines) medium
The arrows indicate the characteristic absorbance bands of copper oxalates
Considering the encouraging results obtained for copper-containing objects
or to reduce silver compounds to elemental silver was evaluated as well
To our knowledge this is the first time that such an attempt is conducted
The ability of B. bassiana to transform and immobilize iron was tested on different iron compounds. Growth rates were significantly different (F = 52.18, df = 4, p = 0.00001) for all tested media. Among the different iron-containing media, B. bassiana demonstrated to have a much higher growth on MAIOH than on the other two media tested (Figure 6)
These results were in agreement with the fact that iron is essential to fungi and not as toxic as copper
no crystal formation was observed within the media
bassiana cultures on MA (gray line) MABRO (dark gray line)
further test should be performed to lessen the amount of water used for example a spray for the aspersion of the culture over the pieces
Beauveria bassiana cultures on MA medium with iron sample W38
(C) Transmittance FTIR spectrum (4000–650 cm−1) obtained from hyphae incrusted in red crystals
the esthetic value of the objects will thus be altered
as a color change of the object’s surface is not acceptable as far as conservation ethics are concerned
the formation of an eventual homogeneous and compact layer of silver oxalates appeared problematic for the conservation of silver artifacts
bassiana cultures on MAACAN medium with rectangular and bipyramidal crystals indicated by red circles
(B) Sample C3 (copper–silver alloy) with copper oxalates formed around the area indicated by a red circle
(C) UV–visible absorbance spectra of mycelium (black line) and cell filtrate (dash line) containing silver nanoparticles
As control the reference spectra for mycelium (gray line) and cell filtrate (gray dash line) were included
This simple and eco-friendly biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by B
bassiana seemed very promising in particular in the field of nanotechnology
where such materials are studied for their antimicrobial properties
bassiana to grow in presence of Cu ions and to form copper oxalate crystals on different media was highlighted
bassiana as an innovative conservation approach were demonstrated
the results of the HPLC analysis showed the specific production of oxalic acid
This feature will allow us to create oxalate patinas without the formation of other carboxylates
as it could be the case for other fungal strains producing a combination of carboxylic acids
the precipitation of iron oxalates and silver nanoparticles was reported for the first time
The different crystal aggregates were characterized by either SEM
Further FTIR analysis permitted to observe the gradual conversion of copper sulfates into oxalates and to identify iron oxalates
which has been widely applied as insecticide following eco-friendly processes
safety concerns are minimal and this will allow the development of an in situ application kit for conservators–restorers
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
This research has been partially carried out with the support of the European Union
within the VII Framework Program (Contract: BAHAMAS
Vonlanthen (Institute of geology and paleontology
Switzerland) for providing X-ray diffraction and SEM–EDS facilities
respectively and for their assistance during experiments
Authors are also grateful to the analytical service of the Faculty of Sciences
University of Neuchâtel and in particular Dr
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HomepageStoriesA store manager’s working day
Yves Brunner manages the Migros supermarket in Affoltern am Albis
He gives us an insight into leading an 80-strong team and tells us what his typical working day involves
Today is Friday – the longest day of my working week
I arrive at my supermarket an hour before it opens
and it’s still quite dark in the 2,000 m² store
But it’s already a hive of activity – trucks are pulling up at the loading ramps
I help them to bring the pallets loaded with goods into the store by forklift truck
Trucks continually arrive throughout the day
The only thing we bake at the store ourselves is the bread – or at least most of it
The first two cashiers get ready to start work
They take cash trays from the vault and insert them into their checkouts
more and more customers will arrive at the supermarket
That’s why five of the six checkouts are staffed by 9.30 a.m
Now we turn on the ceiling lights fully and also illuminate the Migros sign above the entrance
Retired people often do their shopping at this time of day
I greet an elderly regular and chat to her about a recipe she’s tried at home – a horseradish marinade
I stop briefly at a table where we’re presenting Tex-Mex specialities – nachos
tortillas and grated cheese mixes with cheddar
I arrange the products in a way that I prefer
Presenting our food in an appealing way is something that really matters to me
I use a mobile device to place an order for a regular customer –she needs six kilos of celery
This lady leads a yoga group and makes healthy vegetable smoothies for the members
I don’t place most of the orders myself – that’s done by an automatic system linked to the checkouts
It even takes the weather into account and orders more ice cream
I eat lunch with a few colleagues in the canteen
He’s a great cook – his spicy dishes are simply irresistible
An orange careerYves Brunner (39) grew up in the canton of Lucerne
he was a keen footballer and played at left-back for FC Küssnacht
He completed his apprenticeship as a retail specialist with a wholesaler and then joined Migros 12 years ago
He managed two stores in Zurich and has been manager of Migros in Affoltern am Albis ZH for a year now
every store has a completely different clientele with their own needs,” says Brunner
We discuss what to present on our new product table next week
be given some leeway and be able to develop
uses a small device to print out orange discount price tags
She attaches them to goods we can no longer sell the next day – such as Black Forest gateau
Employees in other sections also start marking up food that is now discounted
This prevents good food from ending up in the waste
That’s also why we fill bags with perishable goods – such as sandwiches
bananas or grapes – for the Too Good To Go organisation
They can be purchased from customer service at a knockdown price – just before closing time
We wish our last customers of the day a nice evening
This is still a very busy time – my staff are cleaning the display cases at the meat and fish counters
as well as the checkouts and the conveyor belts
A professional cleaning team takes care of the floors
The store needs to look like new again the next morning
I drive home to my wife and young daughter
We live in the Lucerne village of Greppen on Lake Lucerne
I reflect on my day – especially the many encounters with all sorts of different people
They make my job incredibly exciting and varied
Whether at a desk, in a store or in a laboratory – our work environment is diverse, just like the people behind it. Discover their stories.
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Metrics details
The question whether novel rehabilitation interventions can exploit restorative rather than compensatory mechanisms has gained momentum in recent years
Assessments measuring selective voluntary motor control could answer this question
while current clinical assessments are ordinal-scaled
lab-based assessments are costly and time-consuming
computer-based assessment game using low-cost accelerometers to evaluate selective voluntary motor control
Participants steer an avatar owl on a star-studded path by moving the targeted joint of the upper or lower extremities
We calculate a target joint accuracy metric
and an outcome score for the frequency and amplitude of involuntary movements of adjacent and contralateral joints as well as the trunk
relate the results of select children with upper motor neuron lesions (n = 48) to reference groups of neurologically intact children (n = 62) and adults (n = 64)
Linear mixed models indicated that the cumulative therapist score
was a good predictor of the involuntary movements outcome score
This highlights the validity of this assessgame approach to quantify selective voluntary motor control and warrants a more thorough exploration to quantify changes induced by restorative interventions
This highlights that objectively capturing motor control and the multitude involuntary movements is quite demanding for an assessment
and considerable time for assessment and analysis
The goal of this methodological paper is to present a playful assessment (analogous to the term ‘exergame’
we introduce the term ‘assessgame’) based on accelerometer measurements
The game was designed to measure SVMC of both lower and upper extremities objectively on an interval scale
We present the setup of the assessgame and the algorithms used to process and analyze the data
we provide first proof of concept by illustrating the interpretation of the data by comparing data of individual pediatric patients with upper motor neuron lesions to data of neurologically intact peers and adults
Later studies will evaluate the applicability of this approach in other patient groups with upper motor neuron lesions and determine the psychometric properties of this assessgame for objectively quantifying SVMC of the lower and upper limbs
Assessgame elements and sensor placement
(A) Start screen; participant chooses avatar owl
(B) Participant tries to steer avatar on the star-studded path by appropriate movements of the target joint
while being instructed not to move the other joints or trunk
(C) An accommodation phase during which the participant was made familiar with steering the owl preceded the 30 s of measurement
The path was calibrated for each individual participant
Movements were performed within 90% of the active range of motion of each joint
The last 5 s were implemented to ensure that the participants continued playing until the end but were not analyzed
(D) Placement of sensors for the lower and upper extremities with indication of coordinate system
To avoid that participants could steer the avatar with compensatory movements of the more proximal joints
we used master-slave sensor pairs for each joint to ensure that appropriate movements were used to steer the owl
The participants were seated on a pedestal or an adjustable chair for the lower and upper extremity testing
While playing, the sensors not used for steering (see Fig. 1D) recorded any extraneous movements
we videotaped the participants to verify the accelerometer signals
the game was controlled by flexing and extending the individual hip
The participant was able to steer the avatar owl upward by hip flexion
knee extension or dorsal flexion of the ankle
knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion resulted in a downward movement of the owl
the game was played by abducting and adducting the shoulder
and by pronating and supinating the lower arm
accounting for the involuntary movement score on the x-axis
Abbreviations: aROM = active range of motion; SD = standard deviation; NIA = neurologically intact adults; NIC = neurologically intact children; P = pediatric patients
joint angles needed to be calculated first (the exact formula for each joint can be found in the supplemental material
subheadings ‘Algorithm for the lower/upper extremities’)
a time derivative of the joint angles was calculated
This means that changes in joint angles were analyzed and not the absolute position
patients were not penalized if they were not able to take up the predefined starting positions of the non-target joints (e.g
a 90-degrees angle of the elbow when playing the game with the shoulder)
these derivatives were related to the reference adults
again by dividing the difference between joint position and ideal path by the adult standard deviations
instead of calculating the adult standard deviation around a zero line
because some movements might be physiological
flexing the knee while also flexing the hip joint is technically speaking an involuntary movement
but physiological because it shortens the lever arm and thus makes the movement easier
The standardized errors were then averaged per joint and thereafter all joints (consisting of up to eleven joints
depending on the target joint) were combined to one involuntary movement score
For further information on the exact procedure
Patient 07 (P_07): The accuracy error score is increased because the movement oscillates between the maximum and minimum of the active ROM, rarely staying on the target path. Involuntary movements are few, which is indicated by the bold line of the participant staying close to or within the boundaries of the reference adults. The involuntary movements that occur are mainly located in the contralateral hip joint, i.e. flexion as well as rotation.
Patient 05 (P_05): The target joint movement is always on point, with the exception of a small slip in the first part of the second half of the path. Noticeable, involuntary movements occur only in the very beginning of the game. They are, however, weak as indicated by the relatively low peaks in the curves. The low frequency and intensity lead to a small error value. Interesting here is that the therapist noted that other joints were involved while playing the assessgame.
Neurologically intact child 07 (NIC_07): The target joint error was low, indicating good accuracy. The strongest involuntary movements occurred in form of mirror movements. Hip rotation on both sides, knee flexion/extension especially on the ipsilateral side, and ventral/dorsal trunk movements presented large amplitudes too, contributing to the increased error score.
Examples of individual composition of outcome scores
More affected/non-dominant ankle flexion/extension as an example plot
The individual coordinates on the accuracy and involuntary movement plot are broken down into joint angle derivatives for every joint monitored during the assessgame play through
Age-normalizing was performed via z-transformation by creating peer groups ranging ± 1 year around the integer age of the current participant when looking at neurologically intact children and patients
The neurologically intact adults were not subjected to subgrouping
The resulting z-scores for each participant are presented in the age-normalized plot
Z-scores were constructed such that a positive value corresponds to a worse than average score and negative scores conversely indicate a better than average score
analogous to the non-age-normalized plot (larger values indicate worse scores)
Abbreviations: aROM = active range of motion; TJP = target joint position; JAD = joint angle derivative; NIA = neurologically intact adults; NIC = neurologically intact children; P = pediatric patients; CP = cerebral palsy; GMFCS = Gross Motor Function Classification System
After normalizing for age (z-transformation)
the positions of P_07 and P_05 have not changed noticeably
is now closer to the lower left corner indicating good accuracy and control of involuntary movements when compared to peers
Since we considered each joint measurement individually for the analysis
linear mixed models were chosen to account for the fact that each participant contributed multiple outcome scores
The above-mentioned factors (i to iv) were entered as fixed effects in linear mixed models
Random effects in the model allowed us to account for by-subject and by-joint variation in the assessgame score
Linear mixed model results of the upper extremities
Linear mixed models and violin plots combined with box plots displaying the accuracy and involuntary movement outcomes of all upper extremity joints individually
Marginal R2 describes how much variance is accounted for by the fixed effects and conditional R2 by the total model
R2 change indicates how much the marginal R2 increased when adding the predictor to the model
SCUES = Selective Control of the Upper Extremity
MACS = Manual Ability Classification System
For the involuntary movements of both the lower and upper extremities
with an increasing therapist score (more involuntary movements at various joints)
When considering the involuntary movements of the arms
the MACS level was a strong predictor as well
GMFCS (for the lower extremities) and age predicted the involuntary movement outcome score of the assessgame for both arms and legs less well
The best predictor of the target joint accuracy score for the lower extremities was age
the t-value as well as the bootstrapped 95% confidence interval suggest both estimates were non-significant
The therapist opinion and SCALE were the weakest predictors
indicative of the amount of variance explained by the fixed effects
is approximately the same for both the target joint accuracy and the involuntary movement score of the legs
could explain a substantially larger portion of variation for the accuracy score than the involuntary movements
The best predictor of the target joint accuracy score of the upper extremities was the MACS level
The SCUES and age were the weakest predictors
The marginal R2 was larger for the involuntary movements score
meaning that the fixed effects could explain more of the variance of the involuntary movements
less variance could be explained for the joint accuracy score
Clinical assessments evaluating selective voluntary motor control (SVMC) are either subjective tests measured on an ordinal scale or require expensive equipment
The alternative presented in this manuscript seeks to solve both problems by using relatively inexpensive accelerometers to quantify objectively the accuracy of the target joint as well as the occurrence of involuntary movements
The interpretation of both scores was shown exemplary in the results section
we used linear mixed models to estimate the importance of different predictors of the assessgame outcome scores
measuring if the movements were done selectively or not
was found to be the strongest one for both lower and upper extremities when predicting the involuntary movement score
The optimal solution would be to combine the predefined path with the sEMG analysis to fulfil the definition of SVMC completely (i.e.
making the score less dependent on muscle strength
which is a requirement to overcome gravity and could mask the ability to selectively activate muscles)
Besides the fact that our assessgame provides a much more challenging task than current clinical tools
the participants fully focus on the movement and are encouraged to observe the limb performing the movement
participants perform the SCALE with an elevated ankle joint
Although we purposely used the same testing position for the assessgame
the participants focused on the screen for receiving direct feedback on the accuracy part of their performance
This leaves only peripheral vision as a possibility for visual control of limb movements
which might have influenced task performance especially of patients with reduced proprioception
The SCALE and SCUES both evaluate the participant’s target joint performance in relation to the passive ROM
If the participant does not reach 50% (SCALE) or even 85% (SCUES) of the passive ROM
we decided to calibrate the game with the active ROM of the participant for every round
We argue that this is an advantage because it means the assessment is affected less by strength deficiencies and the outcome score may better reflect a true reduction of SVMC
This provides relevant therapeutic information
because it could indicate at which joint training may be most beneficial for the patient
it is conceivable that patients with strength deficiencies get a worse score when performing a clinical assessment because they cannot reach the ROM requirements
despite them being capable of selectively activating the required muscles in a certain pattern
relative straightforward strength training may yield the desired improvements without the need to undergo a more difficult coordinative training where the patient should simultaneously try to inhibit undesired involuntary movements actively
the therapist noted involuntary movements occurring in other joints during ankle flexion extension
Involuntary movements occurred mainly in the contralateral side during the onset of the game
low in amplitude and did not occur subsequently
thus the participant also got a low score for the involuntary movements
placing the displayed level of SVMC amongst those of neurologically intact adults
Concerning the results of the linear mixed models
therapist opinion was the strongest predictor for the involuntary movements of the assessgame and generally speaking
more predictive of the involuntary movement score than the accuracy score
since the therapist was instructed to note the involuntary movements occurring and not look at the accuracy of the movement
the assessgame outcome scores change as expected when there is a change in predictor level
Future studies might use assessments with a scoring system comparable to the ZNA2 tool and assess how strong a predictor with finer grading of involuntary movements is for this kind of outcome measures
the SCALE and SCUES focus more on the involuntary movement part of the movement (mirror and other joint movements as well as trunk movements) than the actual movement
where the main criterion is movement amplitude
one would expect that these tools are better predictors for the involuntary movements score
This is observable for the lower but not for the upper extremities
the number of joint measurements for the lowest categories (indicating no selective voluntary movement possible) of both the SCALE and SCUES was very small
changes in severity of disability were found to have little to no influence on the involuntary movement score
contrary to what can be observed for the target joint accuracy (without changes in level yielding significant differences)
a change from the reference category (MACS level 1) to other levels was found to yield significant differences in scores
at least for comparisons with levels 2 and 3
it has to be noted that we had very few joint measures for MACS level 4
only one patient with such a MACS level participated in this study
Noteworthy is the pattern that can be seen
which is that for an increasing MACS level the involuntary movement scores decline
A possible explanation for this might be that with increasing severity of disability
the involuntary movements occur with less amplitude
This could be a reason why the clinical assessments SCALE and SCUES entered into the linear mixed models were not as strong a predictor as one could have expected
One possibility to increase the feasibility of the assessgame would be to use it in its current form only for pre-assessment
thereby identifying the most relevant impairments in movement accuracy and involuntary movements
solely the identified joints would be reevaluated
the number of sensors could be reduced in future adaptations of the assessgame to make it easier for therapists to handle
the number of joint measurements was relatively small when considering the number of predictors added to the model
where only 98 joint movements were performed out of 144 possible ones
This was mostly due to the fact that playing the game with the ankle joints was difficult for patients
because the minimally required active ROM (approximately 20 degrees) was not reached
A final consideration are the accelerations due to movement acting on the sensors in addition to the earth’s gravity
We argue that these additional accelerations are relatively small in comparison (see methods section) to gravity and mathematically accounted for by using the adults as reference group
they are present and will slightly impair the precision of the angle calculation
we could show that this method seems promising in quantifying SVMC even in pediatric patients with upper motor neuron lesion
who show more challenges when participating in clinical assessments compared to adult patients
Consecutive psychometric studies are needed to determine
These observations demonstrate the need to collect reference values in healthy persons (both young adults as well as age-matched children) to interpret findings in patients with neurological lesions correctly
aimed to recruit 30 neurologically intact adults
Participants were recruited by convenience sampling at the Rehabilitation Center Affoltern am Albis (Switzerland)
the goal was to enroll more participants in the age range of 6 to 10 years than in the range of 10 to 18 years
because of the expected larger variability in our assessgame in the younger age group
Participants within the patient sample had to have a diagnosed upper motor neuron lesion
the ability to understand und follow simple instructions
and the ability to sit upright (with backrest support) for up to 1 hour (because the assessment game was part of a more comprehensive test battery)
Exclusion criteria were surgical interventions or Botulinum toxin treatment in the past 6 months
In- and outpatients of the Rehabilitation Center Affoltern am Albis were recruited
The ethical committee of the canton of Zurich
Switzerland (PB_2016_01843) approved this study
Either the participant and/or the legal guardian gave written informed consent
All methods were in accordance with the necessary guidelines
Reha-Stim Medtech AG used wireless Shimmer sensors for their wearable master/slave kinematics capture system
The master unit consisted of three 3-axis accelerometers
The slave unit consisted of two 3-axis accelerometers
The sampling frequency was on average slightly below 40 Hz
It was either 29 Hz (approximately 70% of the time) or 58 Hz (roughly 30% of the time)
This was due to the fact that the sensor transmitted the position readings only if all sensors had a reading
The company provided us with the accelerometer output for each master and slave sensor
Sensor accuracy and precision (repeatability
defined as standard deviation of measurement) were tested by mounting a sensor and an analog inclinometer to a hinge joint
we varied the angle of the hinge joint between 0 (sensor y-axis parallel to the gravity vector) and 90 degrees (sensor y-axis perpendicular to the gravity vector) stopping every 5 degrees and measuring for 10 seconds
Sensor accuracy was within 1.9 degrees on average (range 0.5 to 3.2 degrees) and precision within 0.16 on average (range 0.12 to 0.20 degrees)
we tested sensor accuracy and precision when in motion
This was done by mounting two sensors on a rigid 90-degree angle 30 cm away from the center of rotation and playing the game with a more proximal joint
comparable to an adult (height approximately 1.8 m) playing the game by abduction of the shoulder while holding the elbow perfectly still
the accuracy was 0.7 degrees and the precision 1.3 degrees
This can vary depending on arm length and movement speed
This indicates that additional accelerations due to movements of more proximal joints have a relatively small impact (within 1 and 3%
depending on the tested joint) compared to the earth’s gravitational field
when movements are within the range of the games target path
the active range of motion was established for each target joint
The active range of motion was chosen over the passive one
to better distinguish between SVMC and strength deficiencies
To ensure that playing the game over time would not become too strenuous
assessors made sure that ranges of motion for the hip
and ankle did not surpass approximately 45
and 5 degrees of the range were pruned off the top and bottom
participants were asked if the owl responded adequately to the movements and if questionable
the participant was asked to position the avatar at the top and bottom of the screen
the y-axis moved in the desired movement plane
The Velcro attachment for the elbow slave sensor was positioned as close to the cubital crease as possible
thus preventing excessive movement when pro-/supinating the forearm
When the participant played with the shoulder and elbow joint
the lower arm was placed on a foam padding such that these movements were not restricted by the support of the arm
The calibration procedure was done similarly as for the lower extremity
with the exception of the maximally allowed joint movements for the shoulder
Participants played three trial rounds to familiarize with the assessgame using the following joints: fingers
The fingers were chosen to familiarize the participant with the cyber-gloves
The participants also practiced the forearm movements
because pilot tests had revealed that pro- and supination were less intuitive movements to control the game
the participants could decide if they either preferred playing with the elbow or the shoulder joint
Once acquainted with the different ways of steering
the participant played all 10 joints in a randomized order
The occurrence of involuntary movements was characterized the same way it was done for the lower extremities
we evaluated the joints of the upper extremities with a clinical tool to measure SVMC
typically the model predictors of interest
For the variables that were categorical (all except for age)
we chose the best possible score as reference category for comparisons
allowing us to account for by-subject and by-joint variation
We decided to add only random intercepts in this study
so as not to over fit the model with too many predictors
By-joint variation was added to the model as nested predictor (more/less affected arm [2 levels] by tested joints per arm [5 levels]) or as individual joints (10 levels) if nesting was not possible due to overfitting
Target joints that were not playable were excluded from the analysis
and upper and lower bound of the bootstrapped estimate confidence intervals (CI)
Approximations for explained variance by the fixed effects (marginal R2) and total model (conditional R2) were calculated using the package ‘MuMIn’
After a discussion with the ethics committee
we decided that due to the small number of patients in our rehabilitation center and the heterogeneity of the study group we can only provide the data upon reasonable request
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What do motor “recovery” and “compensation” mean in patients following stroke
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Download references
We thank Reha-Stim Medtech AG for their cooperation on this project
especially Cédric Larouzière who was responsible for this project
we wish to thank the Pediatric Rehab Research Department for their support
We are very grateful to the Stiftung Vivendra in Dielsdorf
the Schule für Körper- und Mehrfachbehinderte in Zürich
and the Kantonsschule Frauenfeld for their help with the recruitment of participants
Our sincere thanks go to the participating children
This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant numbers 32003B_156646 and 32003B_179471)
Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adolescents
All authors were part of developing and testing the assessgame software
were involved in recruiting participants and performing measurements
were responsible for writing the algorithm converting the raw data to the assessgame outcome scores
did the formal analysis and wrote the manuscript
All authors critically reviewed and edited the manuscript
The authors declare no competing interests
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56495-8
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We explore the most popular areas to live in Zurich for expats looking to make the move to Switzerland’s vibrant financial capital
By Graham Turner
you will have the tricky task of deciding exactly where to live
each of the city’s districts has its own distinct character
and where you decide to settle will largely come down to personal preference
this guide outlines everything you need to know about living in Zurich
Looking for somewhere to rent in Switzerland
Spotahome takes the hassle out of househunting by doing the hard work for you
and book rental properties all from the comfort of your own home
Take the stress out of househunting in Switzerland with Spotahome
From a social point of view, it’s also ideal for sampling the best of Swiss cuisine and the local drinking culture
combined with the city’s insanely low crime rate and gleaming streets
make it a very appealing place to settle for expats
Zurich boasts a frankly preposterous number of drinking fountains – and hydration is very important
One of the best things about living in Zurich is the warm and welcoming culture
Despite being the largest city in Switzerland
its population (within the ZMA anyway) of only 400,000 means that there is still a sense of familiarity and intimacy that you wouldn’t normally associate with a financial metropolis
In terms of social etiquette
there is a real sense of community throughout the city
you can expect friendly waves and hellos from neighbors and locals
that the Swiss are fairly private when it comes to personal and financial affairs
That said, it’s also wise to remember the cultural nuances of the city, as it is rather unique within the European zeitgeist. For instance, the drinking culture is somewhat more restrained
and you can expect social events to end at a reasonable time
this might actually be considered a good thing when you get to leave a party with a healthy buzz as opposed to crawling for a taxi
When it comes to choosing where to live in Zurich
a broad spectrum of needs and budgets can also be accommodated
Like in most financial hubs, the closer you live to the center, the more expensive things can get across the board. This applies especially to property, which can be slightly tricky to navigate for expats. However, our guide to housing in Switzerland will help you with that
Zurich is a family-friendly city with a variety of options for expats
While there is no particular area of the city specifically for families
many internationals settle near the two main schools on either side of the lake: Kusnacht and Zumikon on the right side (known as the Gold Coast)
and Kilchberg and Thawil on the left (the Silver Coast)
Your best friend for getting off the ground in finding somewhere to live in Zurich is going to be the internet, whether you’d like to rent or buy property
You will want to begin this process as early as possible before you move as it can take a while to get everything sorted
Here are some handy websites you can use to find somewhere to live in Zurich:
It can be difficult to find homes with gardens in Zurich
Ground floor apartments in Zurich will often have small patios and some apartments have shared garden or barbecue areas
Houses with gardens are available outside of the city and generally cost more than apartments in Zurich
The average size of apartments in Zurich is between 90–100 sqm
large homes with five or six bedrooms are very scarce
no matter where you live and Switzerland is certainly no exception
Typical houses in Zurich city boast a 1920s design with very modern interiors
Such buildings are mostly in Districts 1 (the old town)
Many modern buildings are popping up across the city
Renting is expensive in Switzerland
and even more so in big cities like Zurich
Some buildings are under historical monumental protection and therefore have very high rents
Housing in the industrial Districts 3 and 4 is a bit more affordable
and 12 (about 15 minutes from Zurich Hauptbahnhof)
All of these areas are easily accessible to the city center with public transport
If you’re looking to save some money and don’t have any qualms, then flat-sharing is a popular option. There are even dedicated sites for connecting people for this very purpose. You can try WGZimmer or Craigslist
Just be sure what you’re getting into before committing or
paying money before you know what you’re in for
Renting is the norm in Switzerland. To those considering buying a home in Switzerland
Buying a home is relatively simple but selling one is a different challenge
Most people in Zurich are looking to rent apartments so there are very few buyers in the marketplace
It could take a year or more to sell a property
banks welcome investors and are very supportive of home buyers if clients are credit-worthy and have good records
Now that you know how to find housing in Zurich
Zurich has 12 districts (known as Stadtkreise) in its entirety
with the main areas briefly summarized below
Below is a further breakdown of these areas and what they have to offer expats planning on living in Zurich
If you’re looking for a relatively easy commute
then you can’t go wrong with living in the Zurich Metropolitan Area (ZMA)
this makes up the metropolitan hub that surrounds the city center
all of these areas have at least four trains that leave every hour
getting you to downtown Zurich (Zurich HB Main Station as the train stop is known) in half an hour at most (and even less in some areas)
This means that you won’t have to crawl out of bed at 06:00 to drag yourself to work – which is always nice
Just bear in mind when looking for a place to stay in the ZMA
that landlords are incredibly thorough with background checks
so get the ball rolling as early as possible
as the ZMA is a great place to live in Zurich
Here is a breakdown of the different towns
and villages within the ZMA and what they have to offer expats looking to live there
You would be forgiven for forgetting that you live in a financial capital if you choose to settle in Aarau
idyllic village looks akin to an impressionist painting come to life
The people are famously friendly and the surroundings are incredibly scenic
making it one of the most laid-back areas in the city while still having great access to the center
Furthermore, Aarau is home to the amazing Freibad Schachen (open-air swimming pool)
A number of great historical sites and architectural wonders also make this a fascinating place to explore
which hosts numerous gigs and stand-up comedy nights
Compared to other relatively central locations in the city
Aarau is on the lower end of the scale in terms of price
There’s a good mix of apartments – from functional to fancy – as well as townhouses and bungalows
A three-bedroom apartment that’s ‘pragmatic’ with its space can be found for CHF 250,000
with spacious designer apartments ranging from between CHF 750,000 and CHF 1,000,000
If you’ve got your heart set on a house
you could find a detached bungalow (with around five bedrooms) starting at CHF 1,250,000
then you’re looking at closer to CHF 3,000,000
apartments are the way forward in Aarau and you’ll rarely see a house up for rent
If you’re looking for something a bit bigger
there’s always a good selection of three-bedroom apartments that range from around CHF 1,300 to CHF 1,700
Aarua is very much a Swiss-German town and many of the businesses have a real local flavor. Most of the expats living here are commuters heading to other parts of the city, so if you want to work here, you will ideally have to have a strong grasp of the language
Expats with a love of the great outdoors and community who still want to be in touch or have to work in the city center
It’s also great for families with plenty of outdoor activities and a neighborhood where you can relax with young kids about
Winterthur is one of the largest cities within the canton of Zurich and has a population of more than 110,000
The medieval heart of Zurich is bustling with plenty of markets
yet still offers a sense of old-town charm
Considering how close Winterthur is to the city center of Zurich
property prices are considerably higher than in other areas
then you’ll likely need to settle for an apartment
Prices on the outskirts of the region can see you land a three-bedroom apartment in the region of CHF 900 to CHF 1,100,000
If you’re looking to live in or around the center of Winterthur
the prices can start climbing closer to CHF 2,000,000 to CHF 2,500,000 for anything between a three and five-bedroom apartment (usually with decent-sized living areas)
Renting in Winterthur follows a similar trend
You can find a three-bedroom apartment to rent on the fringes for around CHF 1,500 per month with prices climbing to CHF 2,500 for something similar closer to the center of the canton
Winterthur is home to some large companies as well as plenty of banks
One of the largest companies is industrial engineering and manufacturing firm
The Union Bank of Switzerland and insurance group AXA Winterthur also have a large workforce in the canton
With nearly a quarter of the population being non-Swiss
It sports the city’s largest train station
so getting around Zurich (and beyond) is no problem
there is also plenty to do in terms of sight-seeing
Found on the Riviera on the upper half of Lake Zurich
Rapperswil-Jona lives up to its name as the Town of Roses
from the 16,000 roses that bloom in the gardens of the Capuchin Friary and on the Schanz; a rose garden designed for the blind
The town has a reasonable price range depending on how much you are willing to sacrifice on space
airy three-bedroom apartment for around CHF 1,200,000 or you could get the same number of bedrooms
but with slightly cozier environs for a fairly affordable (for Zurich
houses are rare to come by in this small town
they’re usually lovely and luxurious
with a hefty price tag of anything upwards of CHF 3,000,000
Renting in Rapperswil-Jona definitely edges towards the higher end of the spectrum
a standard three-bedroom property will cost you around CHF 1,500 per month
there is a decent selection of smaller places on offer
with two-bedroom flats costing closer to CHF 1,200 and studios setting you back around CHF 1,000 per month
Although it’s a fairly small town (with a population of around 25,000)
Rapperswil-Jona is a really popular weekend destination for visitors from other parts of the city and out-of-town tourists
there is an availability of jobs that cater to this market
This idyllic little medieval town is ideal for couples moving to Zurich
It’s a joy to explore with a partner
has great restaurants to accommodate the weekend tourist crowd
and is within commuting distance from Zurich city center
this small town lies just 20 minutes from Zurich city center
This means that you get to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle that comes with living in a small town while still being close to all the action
Being one of the most sought-after locations in all of Switzerland comes at a price – literally
two-bedroom apartment here will cost you around CHF 1,000,000
The more luxurious options can go as high as your imagination can fathom
Houses are rarer than unicorns on the market here
will usually involve you having to request the price
there are plenty of studios and single-bedroom apartments up for grabs
furnished studio will cost around CHF 2,000 to CHF 3,000 per month
Three and four-bedroom properties – which are generally exquisite – can range from between CHF 4,000 and CHF 6,000
There are options on the lower end of the scale
you’ll have to request the price for anything bigger and/or better
being the richest canton (and the one with the lowest taxation) in Zurich means that there are opportunities to work with some huge local and international companies located in the city; namely Siemens Building Technologies
This is honestly one of the best places to live in all of Zurich
combined with a plethora of great restaurants and things to do
makes it an extremely desirable place to live for any expat
being the smallest canton in Zurich and having the lowest taxation also means that getting in is hard and expensive
These two areas of Zurich’s District 2 stand out as choice locations within the broad ‘Zurich city center’ terminology
This is because they are considerably more liveable than say Altstadt in District 1
which is better suited to visitors rather than residents
Despite being so close to the heart of Zurich
despite it being basically in the middle of Zurich
is dominated by its incredible promenade that runs along Lake Zurich
This is a great place to unwind and even take a dip in one of the many designated swimming spots
For great music and a welcoming atmosphere, be sure to check out Bar Enge. This area is also home to a couple of fantastic museums by way of the Rietberg and the FIFA World Football Museum
As for Seefeld, you should become intimately familiar with the beautiful promenade, known as the Zürichhorn
You can also watch street artists gather crowds around their Trompe-l’œil chalk drawings and pick up some handmade jewelry at the local street stalls
Enge is located a mere five-minute train ride away from Zurich HB Main Station
cycling is also a popular way to get to and from the city
Since the train station is located right in the middle of Seefeld
the journey to Zurich HB Main Station takes between 14 and 18 minutes depending on what train you get
if you live in the northern tip of the district
then cycling or walking is just as viable an option if you’re looking to head to the center
apartments reign supreme in Enge and Seefeld – and they aren’t particularly cheap
the city center is only realistically suitable for single expats or those with older children
you could realistically rent a three-bedroom property from around CHF 3,200 to CHF 4,500 per month
with space being the telling factor in the price swing
Enge is very much on the ‘price on request’ scale
places do pop up with actual asking prices
These can range from the occasional CHF 500,000 studio to CHF 2,000,000 three-bedroom apartments
this isn’t really surprising given how desirable a place it is to live
the cheapest you are likely to find would be a two-bedroom property for around CHF 2,000 per month
this can easily climb to closer to CHF 4,000 a month for more space and better views
Enge is a great place to live if you are looking for a job as numerous recruitment agencies are based here
Other notable companies come by the way of large insurance firms such as Qatar Reinsurance Company and the Swiss Reinsurance Company
Seefeld feels much more residential in nature
big businesses aren’t as abundant as they are in Enge
there are plenty of recruiters to help you land a job
The Porsche Center also calls Seefeld home if that’s your game
Enge really does offer something for everyone
And that’s not even taking into account how central it is
Seefeld also has fantastic traits and remains a decidedly laid-back district
it is notable for its great shopping scene which offers numerous grocery stores
These make it a great place to be during the summer
it’s an area that is hard not to recommend to anyone if you can find a suitable place to live
then Fluntern in District 7 offers easy access to the city center
be aware that properties here come at a premium
they are really close to the zoo and you can’t really put a price on that
Fluntern is one of the quietest suburbs you will find anywhere within a reasonable distance from Zurich city center. This is in no small part due to the fact that much of the district is taken up by Zoo Zürich
meaning that there is a huge amount of nature to be explored
wouldn’t be complete without checking out one of the best zoos in Europe by way of Zoo Zürich
This place is absolutely massive and takes up most of the district
it requires multiple visits to experience all of its indoor and outdoor enclosures
Trains from Fluntern will get you to Zurich HB Main Station in around 25 minutes
Because of its desirable location and top-shelf liveability
This is another district where houses for rent on the market are about as common as unicorns
you could rent for around CHF 2,000 a month on the lower end of the scale
This can easily climb to CHF 3,000 for more spacious places
There are always a few listings for houses floating around in Fluntern
which are almost always on the insane level
you will have to request the eye-watering asking prices for the six or seven-bedroom luxury homes here
Buying an apartment is slightly more achievable
with cute two-bedroom properties starting at around CHF 900,000
With Zoo Zürich taking up most of the real estate in this district
it’s not exactly a booming business zone
there are three hospitals in the area: Privatklinik Bethanien
and Children’s Hospital Zurich – Eleonore Foundation
which can be great sources of work if that’s your field
With great access to one of the best parks and zoos in Europe
as well as plenty of options for eating and drinking
Fluntern is undoubtedly one of the best places to be for young families in Zurich
then Zurich has no shortage of really cool areas
or Kreis 5 (or Industriequartier) in Zurich West stands tall among the city’s trendiest areas
It is also within touching distance of the city center
being only an eight-minute train journey to Zurich HB Main Station
Kreis 5 essentially offers everything you would expect from a place of this name
Abandoned warehouses from the city’s industrial heyday have been renovated
and others torn down to make way for design-savvy spaces housing a ludicrous number of galleries
There is also a good selection of cool thrift stores where you can
which features an amazing outdoor swimming spot on the River Limmat
and a great red wine selection make this the hallmark of inescapable coziness
With frequent trains running to and from the city center in just eight minutes
Kreis 5 is the ideal spot for expats wanting to enjoy the best of both worlds
there is always a big demand (and price tag) for living in the district
Apartments here can range from economical studios to sprawling loft spaces
Furnished studios tend to start from CHF 1,200 and quickly get more expensive from there
three-bedroom properties start from around CHF 3,600
if you want to be that mythical Gatsby figure
that big open loft you’ve always dreamed of is only around CHF 9,000 a month
If you know your way around a cocktail shaker
then you could easily carve yourself out a nice career in one of the canton’s many bars
Kreis 5 is best suited to young singles looking to make an impact on Zurich’s dynamic social scene
it’s not off-limits to those outside this demographic
It just caters more to sociable types who really like to get out and about – networking
The old industrial area of Affoltern in District 11 is popular among Zurich’s younger residents
it’s handy for the city center with trains taking between 18 and 32 minutes to get to Zurich HB Main Station
such as Lake Katzensee – which lies between Affoltern and neighboring Altburg – also make it an all-year-round hotspot for bird- and nature-watching
Because it is so close to Lake Katzensee and offers a lot of green space
Affoltern strikes a unique balance between the edgy industrial chic that other parts of Zurich are famed for
it is the ideal location for nature lovers who enjoy a laid-back life
a transportive trattoria located right in the heart of Affoltern
Trains take between 18 and 32 minutes to get to Zürich Hauptbahnhof
making this a good option for both commuters and expats wanting to live within a reasonable distance from the city center
Affoltern is definitely one of the more reasonably priced areas of Zurich
cooly decked-out two-bedroom apartment for around CHF 1,500
Three-bedroom places usually float around the CHF 2,000 mark
Affoltern isn’t exactly a Fortune 500 hub and is very much a residential and leisure district
a glance through job listings will present you with lots of opportunities with local financial
plenty to occupy nature and nightlife lovers
and a slightly more reasonable price tag than some of its ultra-gentrified neighbors
Afoltern is a great middle-of-the-road option that offers something for everyone
the banks of Lake Zurich are split into two neighborhoods – the Gold and Silver coasts (you can guess which one gets the sun)
which lies on the western bank of Lake Zurich
is particularly popular among expats due to the abundance of international schools
You’ll also notice that the pubs and restaurants tend to cater to English-speaking residents
Popular locations on the Silver Coast include Kilchberg
The Silver Coast encompasses a huge area with many towns
although they share many environmental similarities; namely incredible views of the lake and the Alps which dominate the surroundings
which offers boat tours as well wakeboarding and windsurfing
The Gold Coast takes in the lower eastern shore (right bank) of Lake Zurich
It is generally more expensive than its silver sister
as a result of getting more sun throughout the year
you’ll likely be relying on a housing allowance
or you’ll need to compromise on space as it’s a competitive area
If you’re happy to be in close proximity to the lake without having a great view of it
Villages along the Gold Coast ridge enjoy the benefits of good schools and access to the city center
there are some much better property deals to be found
Then direct your search to the Pfannenstiel region on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is a beautifully gentrified part of Zurich
the lake is what makes the environment so unique
This is the beating heart of the Gold Coast and makes any town you choose around it a dynamic
walking along the Gold Coast is a real treat
There is nothing better than going from Zurich Burkliplatz to Tiefenbrunne on a Sunday afternoon for people watching and exploring the China Garden and the fun stepping stones hidden behind the trees.
Just like the Silver Coast, there are countless great places to eat and drink. These are scattered across the four choice towns along the Coast. In Zollikon, head to Trube for some of the best Swiss fare going. Drinx Bar lives up to its truly terrible name by having a great selection of whiskies
This one is a little tricky to answer as the Coasts run a long way
if you’re at the north end of the Silver Coast
then you can expect it to take around 10 minutes to get to Zurich HB Main Station
but always towards the pricier end of the scale
The closer you are to Zurich city center – Kilchberg in the Silver Coast or Zollikon on the Gold Coast – the more expensive it will be
It is certainly pricier than down in the southern areas like Erlenbach
Being so tightly squeezed along a long vertical stretch
both coasts are mainly made up of residential areas and businesses that largely cater to the locals
Business and trade largely center on catering to the sizeable residential population and tourists that flock to the Coasts in summer
hospitality might be your best bet if you’re looking to kick-start your working life here
Although the Silver and Gold Coasts cover a large area
you can generally presume that there will be a thriving expat community as they are incredibly popular neighborhoods for out-of-towners to settle
the other thing it’s great for is boasting about having the best views in Zurich
There is an incredible range of beautiful areas to live in within the canton of Zurich
many of which offer benefits that you won’t get in the ZMA
such as the Zürcher Oberland and the Weinland
or are looking for a fully-integrated experience
then you’ll get to experience some stunning vistas
If you’re looking for somewhere that is outside the ZMA
but still fairly intuitive to an English speaker
Zürcher Unterland is an area around the airport that has seen a burgeoning expat community flourish in recent years
the main benefit here is finding more reasonable housing costs while still being within commuting distance of the city
Swiss real estate: buying a house in Switzerland
If Kreis 5 leans too much into hipster territory for you
One of its main benefits is that it’s far enough away from the center to make it more affordable while maintaining good transport links
If you’re willing to commute to the city
then there is another lake in the canton of Zurich by the name of Greifensee
While it’s not as handy as Lake Zurich
it is set among a nature reserve with resplendent
There’s a solid expat community in some of the larger towns around the lake
With great international schools and reasonable housing prices
any barrier of entry isn’t crime-related but purely cultural
That’s not to say that any area of Zurich is hostile to expats – quite the opposite
and other areas on the periphery of the city proper) are largely Swiss-German speaking
These are great for immersing yourself in the Swiss experience but might make integration a bit harder if you don’t speak the language
On the off-chance that you do run into trouble, though, you can head to the Kantonspolizei Zürich website, which can help you out. It’s also wise to keep a list of emergency numbers handy in case you need assistance
He’s worked as a Digital Editor for lifestyle publication i-on Magazine in Edinburgh and Editor for Time Out in Hong Kong
his career highlights have included covering hard-hitting topics such as cat fashion parades and breathable mesh pants – yes
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