Nordspitze, Basel: Competition Masterplan

In Fall 2017, Hosoya Schaefer Architects selected as one of 6 offices to take part in a masterplan competition for the Nordspitze area in Basel, Switzerland.

Our submission proposed a careful sequence of urban spaces, each with varying degrees of openness and intimacy. The dense mixed-use program was organized in clusters of high and low-rise buildings with outdoor spaces. We envisioned that the existing shopping center would be transformed into a green and lively neighborhood with a permeable urban typology connecting to the local residential district.

The consolidation of the urban fabric is achieved by a graded scale of public to private. A sequence of clearly defined public spaces acts as a transition to a new Dreispitz district with a town square, neighborhood square and courtyards. Porous urban space with short traverse distances work together with a clear hierarchy of addresses, from regional, to district, to local, to human scale.

Large, representative open spaces create identity and places of exchange. Small and differentiated open spaces offer niches and possibilities for interactions.