Design Guide Streets and Squares, City of Zug

Multifunctionality is the new key concept in the design of public urban spaces in the city of Zug. This particularly requires pragmatic, space-saving solutions for traffic management. The manual therefore focuses on synergies and interactions. One example is the principle of intersection squares. This approach transforms intersections into central hubs and landmarks. High traffic volumes and the intersections’ key positions within the network thus become added values.

Similarly, at bus stops, the emphasis is on compactness and synergies. Due to the large space requirements for bus entry and exit, bus bays are to be avoided—curbside stops are preferred—or buses make use of the traffic areas at nearby intersections. Such an arrangement improves the accessibility and visibility of the bus stops.

For bicycle traffic, the focus is not on separation or Dutch-style solutions, but on integration and Swiss approaches.

At the same time, a balance between function and context is sought: special places require special solutions. Here, traffic design is guided not by strict norms, but by good design principles. The VSS guideline SNG 640 303 (“Design of Main Urban Roads”) must be applied consistently. This allows considerable flexibility for neighbourhood-specific design.

These new approaches are enabled by the integrated methodology presented in the manual. The proposed design principles always involve a coordinated interplay of buildings, open spaces, street furniture, planting, and traffic.

The manual covers streets, squares, and bus stops and distinguishes various spatial types (e.g., main axes, neighbourhood streets). Simple, clear illustrations (such as situational diagrams and standard cross-sections) convey spatial principles. A catalogue of elements then shows possibilities for the materialisation and detailed design of individual components.