kHaus Cultural Center

Text description provided by the architects. The transformation of a pre-existing building into a new cultural center has become a model of circular architecture and reuse: Built 150 years ago as a military barracks, this building has just become a new public association in the heart of Basel. In 2013, Mikel del Rio and Hans Foquetin won the international competition to redesign the existing main building of the Basel Barracks, creating a cultural beacon that is now open to the public, the city and the future, after an eight-year transformation process.

historical framework. 150 years ago, the Swiss army built a barracks complex in the center of the city, forming a closed area that excluded the general public. As a result, the site was abandoned in 1966. Over the ensuing decades, its vast buildings and large open area became an integral part of Basel as a cherished social and cultural center called the "Caserne district", which is German for "barracks". . Civic and community pollination transformed this area into a popular area for cultural, religious and collective expression. It hosts many cultural facilities, multi-functional spaces for music and events, several restaurants and bars, all of which are adjacent to a large public park. However, the most prominent building of the complex never underwent this development. Located at the far end of the site and blocking access to the Rhine, it has bypassed this social transformation, despite being the primary structure in the complex. Due to its central location in Basel, the city launched an international competition in 2013 to renovate the 9,000 square meter building, now rebranded as a kHaus. The winning design was submitted by Hans Focketyn and Miquel del Río of FOCKETYN DEL RIO STUDIO.

current appearance. The new and updated kHaus offers the City of Basel a contemporary, multifunctional cultural facility and new public areas in a historic and central location. The diversion unites two of Basel's most iconic public spaces: the river and Piazza Casern, which are now linked for the first time and generally accessible from both sides. This new urban center facilitates citywide connections, creating a new community gathering place, driven by multiple activities.

At the southern end of the courtyard, a classic concrete-framed arch has been carved out to serve as a new opening. Together with two additional walkways on the perimeter of the building, these provide permanent public access to the river throughout the year. Now, the building can be traversed through different paths at any time of the day.

While retaining the building's original configuration and spatial logic, FDRS transformed the kHaus into an open, breathable social center for numerous riverside activities. With reference to the building and the history of the site, the architects skilfully reconfigured its exterior while keeping its character intact. Its façade has been gently altered by widening all the ground floor windows into doors, transforming the building into an accessible open structure, full of life and echoes of many different languages.

The interior of the kHaus is defined by plurality and diversity: in its center is the public square, and directly above it is the event and performance space. Scattered throughout the upper five floors are art and rehearsal studios, a matrix of multifunctional rooms, restaurants, dining areas, and worship spaces, all linked by a central courtyard and three vertical staircases.