A new data set contains images by the photographer Friedrich Ruef-Hirt (1873-1927). Between about 1905 and 1910, he systematically documented all the neighbourhoods of the new greater Zurich area after the town's expansion in 1893. In just a few years, he created a unique collection of pictures of houses and streets. The pictures were originally available as postcards.

The city's Archives of Architectural History (Baugeschichtliches Archiv der Stadt Zürich) contain more than 1000 postcards by Friedrich Ruef-Hirt. They offer a unique opportunity to reconstruct the city around 1910. Since the artist numbered his works on the front side it might be possible to re-live his photographic walks through town on an contemporary map or in the new 3D street model published by the city of Zurich.

• Dataset: https://data.stadt-zuerich.ch/dataset/baz_zuerich_um_1910
• Browse the pictures: http://baz.e-pics.ethz.ch/index.jspx?category=801
• Map of Zurich 1913: http://baz.e-pics.ethz.ch/index.jspx?category=26197 (also available already georeferenced)
• 3D-Model of Zurich: https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ted/de/index/geoz/geodaten_u_plaene/3d_stadtmodell.html

Some more historical Background

The City of Zurich contained of no more than 12'000 Buildings around the year 1910 (compared to almost 55'000 today). In one thousand of the houses in 1910 there was some kind of bar or restaurant (a.k.a. 'Bierhalle' or 'Trinkstube') included, which means in almost every 10th building! Lots of these establishments were located in the corner house of a block and lots of them can be seen and identified in Ruef-Hirts photographs. Names and locations of the restaurants can be found in the old adress books of the city (a very useful source for historical Research by any means), see: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cnmRlf_PUZ1Jb9aWpKqHwi-tuVRIWUg?usp=sharing (unfortunately not fully online digital yet).

Contact: Saro Pepe Fischer, Baugeschichtliches Archiv der Stadt Zürich, Neumarkt 4, 8001 Zürich | saro.pepefischer@zuerich.ch

Project Documentation (work in progress):

Friday, 16.4.2021 //
11:00h: Group forming.
Team members:
Saro Pepe Fischer
Elias Kreyenbuehl
Jan Sandberg
Michel Piguet
Kenny Floria

13:00h: First tests with implementing the historical Pics of Ruef-Hirt in maps and 3D applications:

15:00h: Decision to narrow the project down to the city's quarter "Aussersihl Inustrie" and especially the "Langstrasse".

15:45h: A first milestone, this newly generated map with the historical pictures:
http://glamhack21.kennyfloria.ch/

Code to the map-/picture-application:

16:30h: Remodelling pictures for integration in a 3D-view:

22:30h: Implementing the 1913 city map as a new background:

Saturday, 17.4.2021 //

09:30h: Presentation of the implementing of the 3D-model of the City of Zurich (real Buildings) for the filmic walk through "Langstrasse 1906":

13:30h-15:00h: Fighting the video programmes and trying to render, edit and export the files. We are getting there...
15:30h: Putting all the pieces together for the short 90 second movie.

16:30h: Link to the video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l6BIubsoJQMlxY1kj_V3a7uMkOP2LlGh/view