Dreispitz neighborhood development: Urban furniture and lighting

Belonging to the Christoph Merian Foundation, the Dreispitz quarter in Basle is currently one of the largest urban development projects in Switzerland. Following a first study by Herzog & de Meuron as well as competition proceedings, a new urban sub-division is now emerging, including shops, schools, and cultural and residential buildings. One part of this new area is the ‘Arts Campus’ of the University of Art and Design (HGK), which unites the ten institutes that were previously distributed across the city on the 50-hectare Dreispitz site. The well-conceived planning, which has taken care to aesthetically integrate the industrial history of the area, was undertaken by Westpol landscape architects. In its form and design language, the concept incorporates the various areas and their different uses, and is flexibly arranged to enable temporary changes of use for events, as well as the long-term development of the district. A further highlight is the special freely-combinable ‘Dreisitz’ benches developed by Rahel Inauen and Benedikt Löwenstein under the direction of Werner Baumhakl. The prototyping and the final implementation was carried out in collaboration with Westpol and BURRI public elements. The site is being outfitted in phases with standard BURRI 02 benches, the Public Bin system and the campus version of the Public Bollard, with its predetermined breaking point. The site is illuminated by METRO LED street lights, which was the winning proposal for a sophisticated lighting plan.