Conversion of a Silo, Basel , 2013-2016, 1st prize

As a witness of the city’s industrial past, the historic silo becomes the nucleus of the new development in Erlenmatt. A variety of public uses make it the centre of communal and cultural life in the quarter: gastronomy, common areas, local library, cinema, swimming pool, music school, and rehearsal rooms bring people together and have an appeal beyond the neighbourhood. The specific character of the industrial building with its differentiated horizontal layering is maintained and strengthened, vertical circulation and functional rooms are moved to the joint buildings. The central role of the building is also manifested in its relationship to the newly created space. The elegant paving of the square extends to the ground floor hall and blurs the boundary between interior and exterior: an ornamental pattern of asphalt and natural stone slabs is rolled out like a carpet in the exterior. The square becomes a living space, the house becomes a square.