currently under construction, the 9,000 m2 renovation, designed by focketyn del rio, will create a new public nexus in the heart of basel, switzerland. this future landmark unites and unlocks two previously disconnected and enclosed spaces on the rhine river. kaserne cultural center will provide the town with a contemporary and multifunctional cultural facility that generates new public areas and gathering places in a historic location.

 
 
focketyn del rio?s new project turns a previously defunct building into an urban hub which links the kaserne area with the rhein, generating a plethora of public spaces. in a nod to the existing building and the site?s history, the designers perceptively refresh its exterior, keeping the essence and substance intact.
 
 
?when we found the building, it was too shy to open itself up to the river. with our intervention, we only realize the potential that has always been there ? the building invited us to do exactly what we are doing. it is not our aim to be noticed: we are convinced that once the transformation is complete, you will forget how it was before? the architects explained.

 
 
the center of the building will become a large, indoor public space, aptly named the plaza. the site?s nucleus, this three-story high open space, will become both its central circulation core and the public gateway from the rhine to the building and into the park. addressing the need to integrate several new pathways with the two sides of the b...