The interest in orderly settlement development led to the formation of eleven planning regions in the canton of Zurich after the Second World War, when trade and industry experienced an unprecedented upswing. The planning umbrella organisation Region Zurich and surroundings, founded in 1958 and legally anchored since 1975, unites the city of Zurich as well as the six adjacent planning groups and the canton of Zurich. The association is committed to a liveable and competitive agglomeration of Zurich. It develops a mission statement for the Zurich conurbation and implements planning tasks with overall regional significance.

The City of Zurich is represented on the board of the association as well as in advisory bodies with delegates from the building construction, civil engineering and presidential departments. From 2015 to 2017, STEZ implemented a project with the association that analyzed the requirements for the future housing offer in the RZU area as well as the associated planning and political framework conditions. The project established a housing policy dialogue at the regional level.

To the RZU website | Planning umbrella organisation for the Zurich region and the surrounding area