Maiengasse Housing, Basel

Over the years an increasing number of annex buildings have slowly interposed themselves across the courtyards of the inner city in Basel. These garages, workshops and sheds are now being removed in a number of places. In the process, however, living sociotopes are also disappearing in which living and working were as little separated from each other as the private territories between neighbours. The spirit of yesterday’s commercial courtyards cannot simply be replicated into tomorrow’s residential courtyards, but it is possible to translate them. For this reason the new building speaks the language of the by-gone transitory courtyard buildings. It stands light and low in the courtyard, formed out of wood like its commercial predecessors. Were it not for the decisively urban positioning of the building one could almost image that its presence was provisional.

The two streets that border the planning area take on a very specific identity by virtue of their dissimilarity. Hebelstrasse is a link road to St. Johann-Vorstadt; Maiengasse on the other hand was originally nothing more than a pathway. Hebelstrasse forms a clearly framed, formal street space, whilst Maiengasse forms an informal alleyway with small buildings. For this reason the building on Hebelstrasse simply closes a vacant lot, whereas the courtyard building acts as a continuation of a heterogeneous fabric.

Please also see Apartment Building Hebelstrasse