{"id":113275,"date":"2026-08-09T05:44:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T05:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/113275\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T05:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T05:44:07","slug":"turning-over-a-new-leaf-zurichs-kreis-4-revival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/113275\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning over a new leaf: Z\u00fcrich\u2019s Kreis 4 revival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once a seedy neighbourhood, Z\u00fcrich\u2019s Kreis 4 is now a shiny hub of creativity. But the clean-up didn\u2019t involve a clear-out: a glimmer of the red-light district remains as proof of a seductive locale.<\/p>\n

Outside Z\u00fcrich\u2019s Zeughaushof community garden a small green sign reading \u201cNo alcohol, no drugs, no dogs\u201d provides a gentle reminder of an insalubrious past. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the area was notorious for nefarious goings-on. After pressure from residents an aggressive clean-up began in 1995, followed by the Langstrasse Plus project six years later, which launched with the goal of improving the quality of life in the quarter.<\/p>\n

While an almost ineffable hint of the area\u2019s bawdy past remains, Langstrasse and its surroundings are now \u201cmore orange-light than red-light,\u201d says Jonas Ullmann, manager at cocktail bar Dante. Pockets of vice are next to invisible and sit alongside parks filled with families and well-dressed 20-somethings on bikes. The markets of Helvetiaplatz host friends enjoying drinks under the illuminated signs of restaurants. As the area\u2019s pull intensified after the clean-up, architects, shops and caf\u00e9s were quick to put down roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vibe is very special here: there\u2019s a crazy mix of red-light district and creativity. We probably moved in a bit early but now we are right on time,\u201d says Johan Olzon, who together with Karl Westbom forms part of the creative collective behind Soeder, a well-appointed shop that makes and sells sustainably produced essentials and homeware. Since opening in 2013, Olzon and Westbom have seen the area flourish. It\u2019s an observation shared by product designer Isabell Gatzen, who moved into her nearby apartment five years ago when rents were low and the area fairly undeveloped. \u201cSince then it has been up-and-coming,\u201d she says. \u201cEvery weekend I think, \u2018Where has this lovely shop come from?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ModernRestaurant at Volkshaus<\/p>\n

\"MinimalistInterior of Fleischmann\u2019s apartment<\/p>\n

\"MinimalistFleischmann\u2019s home office<\/p>\n

\"FlorianYoga teacher and designer Florian Fleischmann<\/p>\n

\"ViewView from the balcony in Fleischmann\u2019s apartment<\/p>\n

\"TwoKarl Westbom (left) and Johan Olzon outside their shop, Soeder<\/p>\n

\"Vintage-furnitureVintage-furniture shop Elastique<\/p>\n

\"BartenderMixing cocktails in Dante<\/p>\n

\"FabrikatFabrikat\u2019s interior<\/p>\n

\"MinimalistGatzen\u2019s apartment<\/p>\n

\"DonovanDonovan Gregory and Regina Schibli, the owners of Fabrikat<\/p>\n

\"ProductIsabell Gatzen, founder of Studio Isabell Gatzen<\/p>\n

\"RiverWhere Kreis 4 meets the Sihl<\/p>\n

\"WomanMarket at Helvetiaplatz, which is held every Tuesday and Friday<\/p>\n

\"BartenderFriday evening drinks at Dante<\/p>\n

\"ASquare on edge of Kreis 4<\/p>\n

\"OutdoorAlfresco dining at Volkshaus<\/p>\n

\"DaytimeNightspot Plaza (in the daytime)<\/p>\n

\"NightLate-night falafel at Palestine Grill<\/p>\n

\"Tree-linedLeafy street in Kreis 4<\/p>\n

\"PeopleOne of the neighbourhood\u2019s many green spaces<\/p>\n

\"OutdoorStreetside relaxation<\/p>\n

\"ItaliaItalia, a popular restaurant<\/p>\n

\"GartenhofGartenhof restaurant<\/p>\n

\"InteriorInside Soeder<\/p>\n

\"WomanCycling along Zwinglistrasse<\/p>\n

Walking through the streets you can see every face of this multifaceted and multicultural neighbourhood: once-infamous nightclubs rest easy next to residential buildings crested by verdant balconies, while Asian supermarkets occupy the ground floors of dubious building developments. When Monocle visits, crowds on Langstrasse are enjoying music from street-food stall Palestine Grill, bathed in the warm neon glow of the sign hanging over the entrance to Roland erotic cinema. This vibrant mix coupled with the central location attracted Florian Fleischmann to Kreis 4. \u201cWe have everything,\u201d says the yoga teacher and designer who lives near Stauffacher. \u201cThis is the heart of Z\u00fcrich.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just moments away on the number three tram, which hugs the district\u2019s perimeter, is the new Europaallee complex. A product of increased investment and interest in the area, it incorporates apartments, businesses, shops and restaurants. Its glossy corporate fa\u00e7ade is a stark contrast to the quarter\u2019s smaller traditional trades, including Gregory Clan\u2019s carpentry workshop. Despite the increased affluence, some such businesses are now fighting to survive as rents creep up.<\/p>\n

A healthy suspicion of gentrification pervades and some factory halls once used as ateliers for young designers are now apartments. But many, such as George K\u00fcng, are less worried about the changes. His vintage-furniture shop Elastique has been a fixture on Gr\u00fcngasse since 2000 and he is confident that the underlying character of the quarter remains. \u201cKreis 4 was always trendy,\u201d he says. \u201cTherefore it was never trendy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Property guide<\/p>\n

Z\u00fcrich is well known for its housing shortage; start looking early. You can consult cantonal authorities to ensure you have the required documents as there are several restrictions on foreigners buying property.<\/p>\n

Prices
One-bed apartment:
CHF550,000 (\u20ac510,000)<\/p>\n

Two-bed apartment:
CHF750,000 (\u20ac695,000)<\/p>\n

Three-bed apartment:
CHF1.4m (\u20ac1.3m)<\/p>\n

Estate agent
Salvatore Leggio
141 (0)44 254 9090
immobilienkultur.ch<\/a><\/p>\n

Eat & Drink<\/p>\n

Gartenhof
Lively neighbourhood restaurant with a garden courtyard for the summer and a cosy lounge for cooler months.
Gartenhofstrasse 1
gartenhof.net<\/a><\/p>\n

Dante
Run by the same team as Z\u00fcrich favourites Grande and Bovelli, Dante is a cocktail bar with an underground fumoir (smoking area).
Zwinglistrasse 22
dante-zurich.ch<\/a><\/p>\n

Shop<\/p>\n

Soeder
An airy shop that sells sustainably produced basics and homeware. The products they don\u2019t make are well sourced.
Ankerstrasse 124
soeder.ch<\/a><\/p>\n

Fabrikat
Shop, design studio and gallery showcasing handmade stationery and tools. The display units are made with glass from nearby supplier M\u00e4der.
Milit\u00e4rstrasse 76
fabrikat.ch<\/a><\/p>\n

Elastique
One of the first vintage-furniture shops in Z\u00fcrich. It supplies furniture to nearby corner bar Kanonengasse and is a few doors down from Viu eyewear.
Gr\u00fcngasse 19
elastique.ch<\/a><\/p>\n

Culture<\/p>\n

Volkshaus
Built in 1910, this space hosts cultural events. There\u2019s a bar, bookshop and restaurant.
Stauffacherstrasse 60
volkshaus.ch<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Once a seedy neighbourhood, Z\u00fcrich\u2019s Kreis 4 is now a shiny hub of creativity. But the clean-up didn\u2019t…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":113276,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[6],"tags":[55181,55182,55183,17,50157,51],"class_list":["post-113275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-zurich","tag-city-guide","tag-gentrification","tag-neighbourhood","tag-switzerland","tag-urbanism","tag-zurich"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ch\/117063966269979326","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113275"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113275\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}