Luca Selva Architekten

Description

The corner plot on St. Johanns-Platz in Basel marks the entrance to the Wilhelminian-style quarter of St. Johann, which was developed at the end of the 19th century in the open space between the city fortifications and the French border at Lysbüchel. To the east, the development is characterised by compact blocks; towards the Rhine, the blocks break up into individual volumes. The western part of the district has many large-scale industrial and infrastructure buildings, which have now been integrated into the cityscape through consistent planning. This project marks the northern corner of St. Johanns-Platz in the transition to Elsässerstrasse and St. Johanns-Park. This important city corner, lined with Wilhelminian-style houses, is now the setting for a nuanced new apartment building with precisely positioned projecting bay windows. The street façade has a light-coloured mineral skin, while the roof and courtyard side are clad in timber. The French windows on the street side have prominent railings, and wooden blinds additionally distinguish the well-proportioned openings. On the courtyard side, sculptural balconies take advantage of the special interior corner setting. A total of 14 apartments are complemented by an espresso bar and a residential studio on the ground floor, which provide a connection to the public space.