Architects: Harry Gugger Studio
Area: 3,691 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: Lukas Schwabenbauer, Christian Kahl, Marc Gilgen, Leon Faust
Project Management: Eitel & Partner GmbH
Structural Engineer: Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG
EMP Engineer: Gartenmann Engineering AG
Electrical Engineer: Edeco AG
Design Team: Harry Gugger, Michael Zink, Gonzalo Ampudia, Mengjie Cheng, Franziska Cherdron, Thomas Domenger, Sara Jardim, Furio Montoli, Gunnar Stachmann, Vera Hollek, Rachel Testard, Gregory Then, Jan Wiedmer
Sanitary Engineer: Gemperle Kussmann
Fire Protection: Quantum Brandschutz
Façade Planner: PPEngineering GmbH
Client: Stiftung Habitat
City: Basel
Country: Switzerland
Silo Erlenmatt renovation project by Harry Gugger Studio in Basel transforms a 1912 grain silo into a multi-use cultural venue for the community, completed in 2020. The design preserves the building’s original industrial fabric, integrating atelier spaces, a hostel, and a restaurant into the structure. By maintaining the silo’s historic features and adding sustainable elements, the project achieves diversity and accessibility while respecting the building’s heritage.
On the Erlenmatt Ost site in northern Kleinbasel, a new urban quarter is emerging. At the center lies a disused silo, originally constructed in 1912 for the Basler Grain and Cacao Beans Dry Storage Company. Harry Gugger Studio has converted this industrial relic into a dynamic, multi-purpose venue aimed at serving the local community. Based on concepts proposed by the Stiftung Habitat Foundation and Talent Verein, the project provides a socio-cultural space accommodating various uses. These include affordable ateliers and studios for cultural workers, service providers, and entrepreneurs, alongside a hostel and a restaurant. The overarching goal is to foster inclusivity and diversity within the area.
The silo, once a standalone structure, is now integrated into a building row along Signalstrasse. Flanked by a student residence and a mixed-use building for artists, the site faces challenges such as noise from the nearby motorway and ambitious sustainability targets. The internal spatial organization of the building also shaped the project. As one of Switzerland’s earliest steel-reinforced concrete constructions, the silo retains a distinctive industrial character defined by vertically arranged spaces. The architects sought to honor and emphasize the genius loci, preserving its historical essence.
Throughout the design, the silo’s internal structure was carefully considered to retain as much of the original building fabric as possible. Major interventions were minimized to safeguard its unique character. Consequently, the iconic silo chambers were preserved, giving the renovated structure a recognizable and human-scale interior. The new functions were achieved with the addition of two floor slabs and distribution cores. Circular windows were introduced to provide ventilation, natural light, and views while preserving the façade’s original tectonic qualities.
The programmatic layout organizes guest rooms for the hostel along the street-facing side of the first and upper floors. Studios occupy the southwestern courtyard side on the same levels. On the ground floor, seminar rooms face the street, while the restaurant opens onto the public courtyard, featuring an outdoor seating area designed for communal engagement.
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Project Location
Address: Rheingasse 31, Basel 4058, Switzerland
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
