The Liebfrauen project began with a focus on Clausiusstrasse 47 and developed into a broader student housing complex connecting buildings Clausiusstrasse 45 to 51. It explores the site’s spatial and social potential, particularly its relationship to ETH Zurich and the adjacent Liebfrauenkirche. The proposed collaboration between ETH and the church creates a framework for community-building, aiming to enhance local connectivity and ease the integration of international students through shared infrastructure and support networks.

Oberstrasse has a long tradition of student housing. In the 19th century, a Russian student community established mutual aid associations and cultural institutions to promote social equality. Shared meals in low-cost canteens fostered connection and exchange, similar to today’s half-pensions in the area.

Liebfrauen builds on this history by creating inclusive housing and community spaces for diverse groups. The project integrates ideas from existing half-pension models, offering flexible housing solutions, inter-religious spaces, and outdoor areas for the public. A key component is its focus on urban density and the potential of illuminated underground space. It questions outdated building regulations, such as the «Verkehrsbaulinie» and «anrechenbares Untergeschoss». By rethinking light access, underground living, and regulatory constraints, Liebfrauen explores shared living within the strict framework of the single-family home – to create adaptable housing units for small groups without fundamentally altering existing structures, but by connecting to them.

Ultimately, the project promotes a rethinking of urban living for students: socially connected, spatially flexible, and responsible to both historical context and contemporary urban pressures.