419 Helvetia Campus Basel

A new figure will mark the head office of the insurance company: residential housing will be concentrated on the plot to the north, while the plot to the south will be reserved for the company’s distinctive head office. The two sections will be visually linked with the respective green areas. In this way, the original function of St. Alban-Anlage in Basel as a spacious boulevard between the medieval core of the city and its expansion in the 19th century will be revitalized and substantially improved for people enjoying the green boulevard.

The most conspicuous modification on the plot to the south is a new, 12-storey office building as a complement to the existing building of the 1950s, thereby anchoring the latter more clearly as part of Basel‘s urban fabric. This will give Helvetia an unmistakable presence and a built identity. An additional structure placed in between to link the twin buildings will be explicitly identified as the main entrance to the campus. Clearly recognizable and with an open ground plan, the auditorium accommodated in this in-between structure gives the impression of an elevated plaza. The auditorium will be used for Helvetia’s in-house events and will also be available for outside events, thereby giving it a semi-public character. The “Helvetia Boulevard” for in-house use will run parallel to St. Alban-Anlage, connecting the old and new buildings. Both company staff and others can meet here and engage in exchange, enjoying the expansive landscaped areas or the public café on the top floor of the new office building.

In a second phase of development, residential housing will be concentrated on the other side of St. Alban-Anlage to the north. A new building is planned with three types of flats, the largest with 3.5 rooms, as well as guest accommodations for Helvetia staff. The ground floor, with a view of the greenery, will be available for public uses.

Herzog & de Meuron, 2015