Jaeger Koechlin
Coming Going and Staying
best architects 23 in Gold
multi-family homes
Place
Basel, Switzerland
Studio
Photos
Roman Keller
Description
A new residential
quarter is being created on the former industrial site of Lysbüchel South.
Here, the mature residential city meets the large-scale solitary industrial
buildings of the twentieth century. In the context of the various historical
structures on the site, the parcel at Elsässerstrasse 139 occupies a special
position in many respects. On the one hand, it marks the last link in a chain
of five-storey residential buildings, but on the other hand, it also forms the
conclusion of this incomplete perimeter block structure and leads over to the
large-scale development of the neighbouring industrial area. The façade on
Elsässerstrasse forms the front of the new building and creates a relationship
to the neighbouring Wilhelminian residential buildings. On the northwest side,
the various urban conditions of the parcel and the site are condensed in a
special way. In terms of building law, this is a firewall, but de facto it
becomes the third façade of the house and thus the end face of the block edge.
The open stairwell with its soaring elevator shaft is the central communal
element of the house. At this open meeting and circulation space, all
apartments and balconies are connected to the communal garden and roof terrace.
In order to ensure the sustainable use of space, the single-storey apartments
can be divided into two separate units with access via the balcony if required.