Musikerwohnhaus / BUOL&ZUND

Musikerwohnhaus

Bauherr: Stiftung Habitat, Basel
Architekt: Buol & Zünd Architekten BSA, Basel
Stand:
Programm, Kosten:

The various buildings of a discontinued factory dating from 1885 have been
transformed into a spacious home and work environment for musicians and their
families. The building fabric was not in all parts of good quality. The brick structure of
the workshop in the backyard as well as the warehouse was adequate, and the
buildings on Lothringerstrasse, which once housed both administration and
manufacturing, were used in the ensemble since they had a certain formal panache.
Structures of minor architectural value were demolished and the remaining elements
incorporated into the new development, forming an interesting conglomerate of special
qualities.

Acoustic adaptations enable people to both teach and live in the new apartments.
Guest apartments, training rooms, a sound/recording studio, a canteen and a spacious
children’s playroom all form part of the new musicians’ apartment house.

The structural diversity of the original factory site meant that for each building a
separate conversion strategy had to be developed. The former warehouse was the
biggest building, a wooden structure with a spacing of 4 x 4 x 4 meters surrounded by a
massive external wall. These characteristics have been integrated into and adapted to
the new building: The internal wooden structure is being copied onto the external wall by
using concrete pillars and beams, and the diagonal steel supports also show the
internal structure outside.

The layout of the maisonette apartments and flat shares mirrors the grid pattern of the
old wooden structure. However, in one part the existing structure was weak and was
therefore replaced with a new open courtyard living space.

Compared to the regular apartments guest apartments have been more modestly
refurbished, but they are also adapted to enable playing music without disturbing
neighbours.

Bathroom and kitchen facilities are hidden in purpose-built furniture which is sound-
absorbing, too. This furniture is designed as a gallery with a bunk bed on top, the wood-
panelled encasement is designed to remind of the former warehouse shelves.    

Existing building materials were recycled and put to good use in the new building in
inventive ways.

The decoration of the frosted glass panels has been inspired by a wire fence found in
the area. At first the fence was planned to be put behind glass, but in the end an
abstract version of the wire was etched onto the window. Windowsill fillings and
bathroom ceramic tiles were carefully removed, restored and reused in the new
building.