Culture and heritage

An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about culture and heritage

As seen from the new Bridge, the Town Square operates as a social condenser, supporting a number of functions throughout each season, and enhancing the functions of each adjacent institution.

Thomas Nemeskeri

Built on the site of a parking lot, the new square and pedestrian bridge activate civic life year-round, with markets, concerts, and film screenings. As the seasons change, a central splash-pad transforms into a skating loop.

View of the Town Square and Cultural Centre.

Project • By RAW Design Inc. • Art Galleries

Aurora Cultural Centre

The Aurora Cultural Centre revitalizes Aurora’s historic core by transforming the nationally significant 1885 Church Street School into a vibrant cultural hub. As part of the Town’s Cultural Precinct and Town Square initiative, the project pairs a 32,000 sq. ft. addition with selective renovation, uniting heritage preservation and contemporary cultural infrastructure into a cohesive civic campus. A core ambition was to honour the Schoolhouse’s legacy while enabling modern programming. The addition is distinct yet respectful, its compact footprint preserving the historic structure’s prominence and establishing a clear dialogue between old and new. A diaphanous veil consolidates the massing across significant terrain... More

Barbara Buehler architectural photography

Project • By MET Architects • Restaurants

Bachgraben Public Pool Restaurant

Total renovation and conversion of a 1960s concrete service building The public swimming pool Gartenbad Bachgraben was built in 1962 after plans by Otto and Walter Senn in collaboration with the engineer Heinz Hossdorf. The concrete buildings distributed across the site are exemplary of post-war modernism and are listed in the inventory of the Basel-Stadt monument preservation authorities. The service building directly next to the main entrance to the pool grounds had only been partially renovated since its construction and was in need of a complete refurbishment. The staff areas no longer met the current use requirements and the restaurant had not been in operation since 2011 due to various issues. Barbara Buehler architectural photogr... More