Townhouse

Townhouse Basel fills a narrow gap along Zürcherstrasse 91 with a unusual timber construction. The design is based on a rational, simple, and flexible system: a central infrastructure core made of wood houses the elevator, bathroom, kitchen, and utility shafts. The defining architectural feature is the visible timber structure. Twelve continuous timber columns support the building, complemented by solid wood beams as the secondary structure. Exposed timber ceilings rest on these beams, lending the living spaces a warm and tactile atmosphere. The five apartments – four studios and one duplex penthouse – are compact, open, and consistently organized around the central core. Well-proportioned, through-lit spaces unfold to both the street and the courtyard, offering a high quality of living.

A distinctive element of the street façade is the sculptural external staircase. It emerges from a clever interpretation of local building regulations, which allow up to one-third of the façade length to extend beyond the building line. The staircase not only connects the apartments but also creates a spatial threshold between the private interior and the public realm of Zürcherstrasse and the adjacent park.