I feel like Mr. Spock
Peter Grünbaum wanted an apartment he could never be evicted from. He found it near Hardbrücke, Zurich — a space with character and plenty of room for his collections. A passionate collector and creative visionary, Peter gave us a tour of his home and shared his favorite pieces.
"I had the dream of a house in the middle of the city that I could never be kicked out of."
The typical single-family home wasn’t for Peter. In the 1990s, he and a group of like-minded individuals formed the working group "Living, Working, and Leisure Under One Roof." Zurich still had empty houses and industrial buildings at that time, but most didn’t meet his standards. When one did, the others in the group lacked commitment. “Ultimately, people weren’t willing to spend any money,” he recalls.
🏢 Finding the Perfect Space
A friend told Peter about Steff Fischer, who had similar goals and had found a commercial building at Hardturmstrasse 66. It belonged to Albert Hans, a successful porcelain dealer who initially didn’t want to sell. But after more than a year, Hans agreed. That’s when things moved quickly.
Peter and his partners formed zürichparis AG – avoiding a conventional name like Immobilien Zürich West – and approached banks for funding. But most turned them down. “We wanted to build a mixed-use building in an industrial zone – one where people could work, live, and die,” Peter explains.
Today, Peter and the original founders enjoy lifelong residence rights in the building, which houses the Sphères café, a bookstore, and offices like WOZ.
🛋️ The Attic Nobody Wanted
Peter lives on the top floor with his wife and dog. “Nobody really wanted the attic. I dreaded sloping ceilings and beams,” he admits. But with help from architectural duo Fuhrimann and Hächler, he transformed the space into a bright loft with four-meter ceilings.
"We have the same aesthetic, so we've never had to argue."
Most of the furniture comes from a Bülach-based maker, and many pieces are sourced from his gallery and online shop, 1000-objekte.ch. Even after twenty years, he’s not tired of the space – but he does frequently redecorate.
🌆 A View That's Always Changing
Peter enjoys gazing over Zurich from his favorite spot. “I always feel a bit like Mr. Spock in his cockpit,” he jokes. The view has changed over time: what was once a sleepy neighborhood with empty promenades is now crowded with new developments.
“Today it’s more hectic than Bahnhofstrasse. But I still couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in Zurich.”
🎨 From Robots to Murano Glass
Peter calls himself a pathological collector. His passion? Designer furniture and Murano glass. He once owned the world’s largest robot collection (1950s–60s) and was even interviewed by TV channels and newspapers.
“People rang my doorbell to see the robots. I got tired of explaining the same thing. Eventually, I lost interest.”
He sold 1,200 robots to the Vitra Museum. Wanting to collect something "less macho," Peter turned to glass. Today, he owns over 4,400 glass pieces, though he admits: “I also bought a lot of junk I can’t sell.” Still, he offers premium pieces online and at auctions.
“Selling always hurts. But it’s also liberating.”
🎹 Life at a Slower Tempo
Originally from Bern, Peter says he never planned to leave. But Zurich became his home. He founded a marketing agency in 1986, which he ran for 18 years before stepping away to pursue his passion. In 2005, he opened a glass and design gallery in Niederdorf.
“I realized I didn’t want to do what I was good at anymore.”
Now, Peter enjoys a slower pace. Instead of business flights and marketing events, he spends time at home and takes piano lessons twice a week.
“It has 88 notes – it's like its own orchestra.”