Elsässertor Office Building, Basel

Reprise and Continuum

Details

Clients

Novartis Pharma AG

Type

Promenade

Collaboration

Diener & Diener Architekten, Basel - mit Helmut Federle und Gerold Wiederin

Period

2003 - 2005

Status

Realised

Area

2 700 m²

Country

Switzerland

The business building Elsässertor is located on former railway tracks in the immediate vicinity of the French railway station in Basel. The vegetation consists of birch and robinia trees, which, as pioneer species on unused railway areas, make a natural, compact impression. They are part of the transformation of the railway facilities into an area that is once again subject to natural dynamic processes.

The second design element is based on typology. The planting policy at the Elsässertor is orientated towards park-like green areas and thus towards the vegetation and nature of the English landscape park, without, however, striving towards an idealised landscape. This explains the rhythmised and loosely arranged plantations, which are also referred to by the plant beds framed by railway lines and covered by railway gravel.