The balcony depicted on the left side is located at Sihlhallenstrasse 1 in Zurich’s Kreis 4. It belongs to the former Hotel Rothaus, a building owned by the magazine Republik. It is situated at a junction where the byroad Sihlhallenstrasse joins the main road Langstrasse. The small-sized, rectangular balconies protrude completely over the façade into the public space. They form
a vertical line above the main entrance door of the hotel. The balconies are made of concrete base plates, each of them connected with thin iron columns in the corners. A filigree iron structure forms the railing of the structure and allows the public to watch everything what happens on the balcony.
All balconies seem abandoned, no outdoor furniture or seating accommodations can be found. Due to their exposed position in the public space, one’s privacy is not guaranteed. There is barely space to host two persons on it. The balcony serves as a vantage point for the inhabitants to observe the proceedings on the busy roads below. Its position as a corner balcony allows it to overlook the main road Langstrasse, the Sihlhallenstrasse and the byroad on the other side of the main road. Furthermore, the small balcony can be used as a place to have a smoke outside of the hotel room without leaving the building.
The balcony has no dominant effect to the public space. It is a cross between the inner rooms of the building and the outside space.
