The project to densify the WOBA 1930 site is both a confident prototype in the tradition of the original settlements and a meaningful, contemporary urban building block. Within the context of Hannes Meyer’s masterplan, existing qualities are further developed, available spatial resources are supplemented in a contemporary manner, and sustainable, adaptive systems are created. Emerging from a multi-stage, collective workshop process led by the city architect and the cantonal historic preservation office, the project achieves architectural clarity within a complex context. The shift in scale to the two-story model homes and the four-story townhouses on the neighboring lot should not be understood as a break with the site, but rather as a logical continuation and updating of its heterogeneous character.

The model housing estate was developed in 1930 as an autonomous enclave between the Lange Erlen recreational area and the Basel Nord rail yard. Thirteen houses with identical construction and modern amenities addressed the shortage of affordable, family-friendly housing with the promise of “New Living.” The “WOBA 2030” expansion planned for the centennial anniversary extends beyond the boundaries of the site and integrates seamlessly with the strictly regulated character of the neighborhood. The density and height of the two buildings seek large-scale connections across the rail yard and toward the city. Resource-efficient and long-term flexible structures are planned using advanced construction methods. These take into account site-specific factors (noise, cold air currents, angles of sunlight, orientation) and can accommodate a wide range of living preferences. The vertical organization responds to the noise situation on both sides and the shading of neighboring properties—it mediates between the scales. The public façade of Building 1 turns away from the geometry of the site and faces the city in an inviting manner.