495 Hauptsitz Christoph Merian Stiftung

Situated between the Münsterhügel and the former outer city wall with its gateway of St. Alban-Tor, the area known as St. Alban-Vorstadt represents one of Basel’s first early medieval expansions and has largely retained its historic character. With its three storeys, the project restores the historical proportions of the original 19th-century building that was once home to a dental clinic.

Form finding unfolded through systematic volume studies. The final linear form responds to the surrounding architectural context and the courtyard site behind St. Alban-Vorstadt 12. During the design process done in close collaboration with the city and the Christoph Merian Stiftung, the project transformed from a conversion of the existing courtyard house to a new building with slightly altered volume.

During the design phase, the team studied various wood types, exploring their characteristics and structural capacities. This comprehensive analysis informed the final assembly, which incorporates several distinct wood types: silver fir for the exterior facades, larch for the exterior floor, oak for the interior floor, spruce and fir for the ceiling and office walls, and beech for the columns.

The concrete firewall forms the mineral core of the building. Emerging from this robust concrete spine, the architectural composition shifts to a timber structure, composed of prefabricated elements.

The new headquarter of Christoph Merian Foundation is functional and flexible. Upper floors serve as communal offices and meeting rooms, easily adaptable to different needs. The wooden structure and arcades allow for simple repurposing of the interior layout and the exterior textile sunshades provide a pleasant indoor climate and optimal daylight utilization.