Zurich will start redesigning the Enge harbour promenade on the left bank of Lake Zurich in January 2027. The promenade will become a continuous public open space with more greenery, a new kiosk and shaded seating areas. This is possible because the 127 public parking spaces on the harbour embankment move to the new Hafen Enge car park opposite at the end of December 2026.
What changes on the promenade
A new timber kiosk with public ZüriWC toilets will be built. It will include a publicly accessible arbour with a long bench that offers covered seating with a lake view all year. The existing kiosk stays open until the end of 2026 and will then be removed. The current toilets remain open until the new kiosk is finished. The city is using the works to replace utility lines and to build a lake-water pumping station for the energy network, which supplies connected buildings with renewable energy. The new green space will connect to the Arboretum (Rentenwiese) and link the promenades and parks on the left lakeshore. The Wabengarten, created for the G59 Swiss horticultural exhibition, will be restored and integrated into the design. City councillor Simone Brander called the lakeshore “Zurich’s calling card”.
More trees, same parking supply
There are 95 trees in the project area today. At least 15 must be felled because of utility works or poor health. Around 60 new climate-resilient trees will be added, so that 140 trees will provide shade in future. Together with unsealed surfaces and strips of perennials and shrubs, they are meant to add habitat and provide shade and cooling on hot days. Because the parking spaces move to the car park in the Swiss Re property, the public parking supply stays the same. Coaches get two new stops on Stockerstrasse and six parking spaces at the Mythenquai car park.
Money and timeline
| Item | CHF million |
|---|---|
| New one-off spending requested from the municipal council (promenade, kiosk, pumping station basement shell) | 12.245 |
| Bound spending (Wabengarten, electricity connection, public lighting) | 6.888 |
| Total credit | 19.133 |
Swiss Re and Zurich support the project through a partnership announced in 2024. Zurich Insurance contributes 8.35 million francs as added-value compensation and Swiss Re Investments 2 million francs. A planning credit of 555,000 francs for the design competition was later raised to 2.7 million francs. The winning project, “PORTO STRETTO” by ARGE Schmid Kuhn Landschaftsarchitekten and Loeliger Strub Architekten, is being implemented. In 2024 the city expected completion by spring 2029; works now run in stages until spring 2030. Access to the harbour and neighbouring properties will be kept as far as possible, but temporary diversions may occur depending on the construction stage.