Modern Witch
This project addresses the processes of displacement within the city of Zurich, focusing specifically on Sihlquai, a site that witnessed a significant transformation in 2021. That year, the residents of a residential building at Sihlquai were handed eviction notices. The reason: the building was to be repurposed for commercial and office spaces.
The story of Sihlquai is told from the perspective of the modern witch, who symbolizes resistance against the growing monopolistic forces threatening diverse urban communities. Sihlquai serves as an example of a mixed, thriving neighborhood—a symbiosis between the built environment, social structures, and nature.
"The story begins in times of upheaval. Society continues to evolve, putting capital at the forefront and striving for increased efficiency. We can interpret this story from various viewpoints, but we choose to read the transition from feudalism to capitalism from the perspective of women, the body, and primitive accumulation." [1] The historical phenomena evoke a bleak narrative, with terms like suppression, exploitation, primitive accumulation, parasitism, capitalism, large-scale systems, and dependency. Yet, these words can be transformed. We can shift them to synergy, collaboration, sustainability, symbiosis, permaculture, small-scale systems, and independence.
In this project, five new interventions are introduced at specific points around Sihlquai: a beehive, a chicken coop, a fisherman's hut, a garden, and a market hall. These new elements stand alongside the existing ones, creating a cooperative network of diverse small actors rather than a single monopolistic force. The area is thus enriched by these new collaborations, offering a sustainable and community-oriented model that resists the forces of displacement and prioritizes diversity and inclusion.
w/ Murielle Morger
Media Plans, Collages, Interior Models, Video
Format Semesterproject
Support Professorship Adam Caruso / Assistant Martina Bischof
Site ETH Zürich
Date Spring Semester 2021
Essayfilm
Regie Eva Schneuwly
Drehbuch Murielle Morger
Kamera Eva Schneuwly
Visualisierungen Murielle Morger und Eva Schneuwly
Produktion Eva Schneuwly
Schnitt Michael Utiger
Cast Roger Meier
Links
Blogpost on Woman Writting Architecture, June 2021
Essayvideo «Modern Witch», May 2021
Official Online-Publication Studio Adam Caruso, May 2021
[1] Studio Caruso 2021, p.79