003 REDESIGN OF THE MARKTPLATZ

003
Redesign of the Marktplatz
Basel, Switzerland
Competition 1979, project 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987

A central theme in all the versions for the redesign of the Marktplatz, the central historical square in Basel with its dominant town hall, was the revelation of the buried Birsig River beneath the market square. The final design development foresaw a cochlea-like duct, conducting the river’s sound through a leaf-like grille in the paved surface dating back to the nineteenth century. The architectural means have been reduced to a minimum, an exercise that proved the viability of a concept’s realization while allowing for maximum engagement in the existing conditions.

There were suggestions for night lighting some of the square’s buildings (1982) and the closure of two streets (1979), though to date neither has been realized.
Herzog & de Meuron, 1995

FACTS

Herzog & de Meuron Team:
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron
Project Team: Cyril Kazis

Competition Ranking:
First Place

Client:
Hochbauamt Basel-Stadt

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: Herzog & de Meuron 1978-1988. The Complete Works. Volume 1.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Chinese ed. Beijing, China Architecture & Building Press, 2010. Vol. No. 1.

Herzog & de Meuron. Natural History.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.

Herzog & de Meuron. Naturgeschichte.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.

Herzog & de Meuron. Histoire Naturelle.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. Baden, Lars Müller, 2002.

Wilfried Wang: Herzog & de Meuron.
3rd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1998. (= Studiopaperback).

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: Herzog & de Meuron 1978-1988. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 1. The Complete Works. Volume 1.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1997. Vol. No. 1.

Dorothy Huber: The Hidden and the Apparent: Comments on the Work of Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.
In: K. Michael Hays (Ed.). Assemblage. A critical Journal of Architecture and Design Culture. Vol. No. 9, Cambridge MA / London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Press, 06.1989. pp. 114-117.

Jacques Herzog, Theodora Vischer: Entretien. Jacques Herzog et Theodora Vischer.
In: Architekturmuseum Basel (Ed.). Herzog & de Meuron. Architektur Denkform. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Architektur Denkform. Architekturmuseum Basel. 1 October - 20 November 1988. Basel, Wiese SA, 1989. pp. 46-57.

Jacques Herzog, Theodora Vischer: Gespräch. Jacques Herzog und Theodora Vischer.
In: Architekturmuseum Basel (Ed.). Herzog & de Meuron. Architektur Denkform. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Architektur Denkform. Architekturmuseum Basel. 1 October - 20 November 1988. Basel, Wiese AG, 1988. pp. 40-50.

Jacques Herzog: Der Filmemacher.
In: Aktuelles Bauen. Das schweizerische Bau-, Architektur- und Planungsmagazin. Väter und Söhne. Tessiner Architektur. Vol. No. 7, Solothurn, Aktuelles Bauen, 07.1984. pp. 46-47.

Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron: Marktplatz.
In: Hochbauamt Basel-Stadt (Ed.). Projekte für Basel. Architektur-Wettbewerbe 1979 - 1983. Basel, Baudepartement Basel. Hochbauamt, 1983. pp. 29-34.