Binz

From Clay Pits to Creative Quarter

The Binz has one of Zurich’s finest transformation stories. Until the 1970s, clay was dug here at the foot of the Uetliberg for Zurich’s brickworks – Grubenstrasse (“pit street”) didn’t get its name by accident. The old workshops and factory buildings between Grubenstrasse, Binzstrasse and Räffelstrasse now house architecture firms, start-ups and design studios; in 2025, HOI – House of Interiors added 3,400 m² of ateliers for textiles, ceramics and interiors, joining vintage showrooms like Heyday and Dessein. Big names such as Denner, Swisscom and Swiss Life also work around Binz station.

And a world record lies literally underfoot: in 2013, construction workers in a Binz building pit struck more than 250 pine stumps – around 13,000 to 14,000 years old, the world’s largest find of late-glacial trees. One of the oldest known forests in the world once stood right outside the door.

Coffee, Ramen and After-Work Beer

The Binz dining scene is small but distinctive: at Kafi Binz the furniture is for sale (a café with a built-in second-hand shop), the Miso-Bar in the award-winning EM2N building serves homemade ramen, Daizy offers certified-organic sharing menus, and Dr. Brauwolf pours beer straight from the neighbourhood brewery. In summer, the Binz & Kunz grounds turn into an urban beer garden. And in the morning you fetch your croissants from the local institution: Bäckerei Buchmann, right at the railway crossing.

Green on the Doorstep: Uetliberg and Allmend

The Binz lies directly on the slope of Zurich’s local mountain – and the Uetliberg railway S10 runs from the quarter’s own station straight to the summit without changing: observation tower, the Planet Trail ridge walk to Felsenegg and bike trails included. In the other direction lies the Allmend Brunau, the wide recreation area along the Sihl – for running, playing and breathing out.

The Uetliberg – take the S10 from the Binz straight to the top.

Sport: from Bouldering to Ice Skating

The Binz is surprisingly well equipped for sport: the Binzschwach bouldering gym on Grubenstrasse, calisthenics at Studio Laboratorium and CrossFit on Binzstrasse are all within the quarter. Right next door are the Saalsporthalle – with up to 3,700 seats one of the city’s most important indoor sports arenas – and the Heuried sports centre with its large outdoor pool and modern ice rink.

The Heuried outdoor pool – freshly renovated, with an ice rink for winter right next to it.

Sihlcity: a City Within the City

A few minutes’ walk away, Sihlcity awaits on the grounds of a former paper mill: around 75 shops, 17 restaurants and cafés, a multiplex cinema with 18 screens, wellness facilities and the Papiersaal concert venue – with the old factory chimney still standing in the middle. Big shopping trips, late-night films and Saturday strolls are all right on the doorstep.

Sihlcity, seen from the Allmend – shopping and cinema right next to the Binz.

Your Own Railway into the City

The Binz has something hardly any other quarter has: its own railway station in the middle of the neighbourhood. The S10 takes you towards the main station in a few minutes (during the renovation of the SZU station it runs to Selnau until October 2026, with tram connections from there). Alternatively, bus 76 links the Binz directly with Wiedikon station – from there the main station is one S-Bahn stop away. Drivers appreciate the Brunau junction of the A3 motorway just below the quarter.

Binz station on the Uetliberg railway – in the middle of the quarter.

Living in the Binz

The Binz is lively by day and pleasantly quiet in the evening – ideal for anyone who wants to work in peace, eat well and still be in the city quickly. Our apartments on Grubenstrasse sit at the heart of the quarter, between studios, cafés and the railway station. We also offer furnished apartments and temporary housing across Zurich – for example in Altstetten or District 4.

Perfect for: Anyone looking for a quiet home with character – who enjoys the creative energy of a maker’s quarter by day.

Character

• Atmosphere: Creative, workshop-like, relaxed
• Restaurants: Small but excellent – ramen, organic cuisine, brewery
• Shopping: Design and vintage showrooms, Sihlcity next door
• Nightlife: Quiet – after-work beer instead of party mile
• Quietness: Very quiet in the evenings and at weekends

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Image credits: Binz railway crossing with Bäckerei Buchmann and Binz station – Chris j wood, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Uetliberg panorama – Heni2000, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Heuried outdoor pool – Paebi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sihlcity – Balise42, CC BY-SA 4.0, all via Wikimedia Commons.