The Schwarzpark once belonged to Villa Schwarz, which was located above the edge of the slope on Gellertstrasse and had its stable and farm buildings in the park. The site lies along Gellertstrasse over a slope edge and falls down to the northeast into a flat parking area. Towards the adjacent Lehenmatt district, this is spatially enclosed by the winding course of the St. Alban-Dych stream and the old avenue of trees and bordered by Gellertstrasse and Redingstrasse.
The new residential building occupies the park area at the southernmost point and forms the urban closure of the former Gellert villa district and the transition to the adjacent Lehenmatt district. At the same time, as an eight-storey residential building, it enters into dialogue with the surrounding buildings, such as the nearby residential high-rises or the Bethesda Hospital. Towards the park, the building moves eastwards into the green space and becomes a house in the park. There, it seeks a spatial reference to the depth of the park area and the adjacent trees.
The house is accessed through the existing entrance gate of the park. Curved park paths lead the visitor past the trees to the two Inputs. You enter the residential building via the building-deep entrance halls and experience a view of St. Alban-Dych. A short staircase leads to the mezzanine floor and winds up to the residential floors within the stairwells, which are lit from above. The apartments will be accessed by two horses. To the south and north are larger apartments and in the middle part of the building volume typologically similar, but somewhat smaller. The apartments are accessed by means of a central hall that develops from the day area into the sleeping wing. On the west side, rooms with different uses are arranged with a continuous living room and a loggia, and on the east side is the sleeping area with the wet zones. The mezzanine floor houses the two largest and one small apartment, the basement is home to the tenants' cellars and the basement is the car park accessible from the street.
Client: Immobilien Basel-Stadt, Basel
Total contractor: Glanzmann, Basel
Structure: Conzett Bronzini Partner, Chur
Landscape architecture: Jane Bihr-de Salis, Kallern
[Source: Miller & Maranta] (https://www.millermaranta.ch/index)
[Photographer: Ruedi Walti, Basel] (https://www.swiss-architects.com/en/ruedi-walti-basel)
