Volta Zentrum Residential and Commercial Building Basel

Foreseen in the context of the Nordtangente project is a re-planning of the street development on Voltastrasse. The area development plan regulates the functional significance and volumetric development of the individual construction sites. A centre with connected shopping area will be built on the Volta Zentrum construction site. The study commission includes solutions for the design of the immediate vicinity in addition to design of the building. 

The building is conceived as an iridescent body – solid and concise in essence, yet transformable and adaptable to react to the complex urban-planning concerns. The sculpturally-shaped cube oscillates between hermetic cut and gentle form. One of the two punched-out courtyard areas slices the sheathing and opens to the street area. The conically cut front brings vitality and movement to Vogesenplatz square in front of the St. Johann railway station, which becomes the hub of public life. The dynamic of the cantilever structure overcomes the dividing effect of the Luzernerring Bridge. Coming from the Rhine access road, the volume takes on a tower-like character with curve and camber. It segues to the open square by means of a fan-like, widened sequence. The building, accessible on all sides, is developed in diverse ways as a centre. The bent showcase front leads from the quarter directly to the sales world. The laterally arranged apartment entrances activate the access streets with additional shop spaces. The bridge level is conceived as a second square area, connected to Vogesen square by a generously arranged, winding, outside stairway. Glazed pavilions surround and mask the bridge’s support elements. The floors comprise seventy-three urban apartments oriented on several sides. Large floor-to-ceiling windows thematize the view of the city space and create an urban atmosphere. The two inner courtyards embrace wild, non-accessible gardens that form the calm reserve of the apartments.

The single-leaf building shell cast in insulating concrete allows the volume to appear as a monocoque body. Attaching the windows at the inner building line emphasizes the shell’s mass. On the west side, the depth effect is intensified by the balcony arrangement. The square- and bridge-facing facade required a second layer of glazing for noise control. Arranged flush with the facade, it highlights the primary volume form.