The Architectural Capital of Switzerland

Basel is considered the architectural capital of Switzerland. Within a few kilometers, you’ll find an incredible number of buildings designed by world-renowned architects, including no fewer than 13 Pritzker Prize winners. This concentration is unmatched anywhere else in the world.

“There is no other place with such a concentration of buildings by globally renowned architects.”

Basel is also home to several internationally renowned architecture firms such as Christ & Gantenbein, Diener & Diener Architekten, and Herzog & de Meuron. This firm has transformed this fascinating city, setting new standards with the impressive Roche Towers and the futuristic exhibition complex, among many other projects.

On the other hand, Mario Botta is the architect behind the BPI building and the Tinguely Museum. And just across the German border, Frank O. Gehry designed his first European building for the Vitra Design Museum, a true gem.

Among the many examples that are a tribute to architecture, here are our top recommendations:

Novartis Campus

With nearly 20 buildings designed by internationally renowned architects, the Novartis Campus is a true mecca of modern architecture.

Before venturing into the Campus, we recommend visiting the Novartis Pavilion, located in one of the meticulously landscaped green spaces designed by well-known landscape architects such as Peter Walker, Günther Vogt, and Guido Hager. In this same area, you can find a wide selection of artworks, including a sculpture by Richard Serra and a sound installation by Laurie Anderson.

Next, we advise you to walk through the garden to the Novartis Campus, where you can enjoy a remarkable parade of incredible buildings along an avenue. Access is public on weekdays.

Among the various architects and architecture firms that have left their mark here, notable names include: Diener & Diener, SANAA, Peter Märkli, Marco Serra, Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani, Adolf Krischanitz, Frank O. Gehry, José Rafael Moneo Vallés, Fumihiko Maki, Tadao Ando, David Chipperfield, Yoshio Taniguchi, Eduardo Souto de Moura, Álvaro Siza, Rahul Mehrotra, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, and Herzog & de Meuron.

If you’re interested, there is also the option of taking a guided tour.

Silo Erlenmatt

We were thrilled by this place. Although it currently operates as a design hostel, it was originally the Basler Lagerhausgesellschaft, an old grain and cocoa warehouse dating back to 1912.

Its brutalist structure is sensational, and the best part is that they have preserved the original aesthetic and concrete structure.

In addition to the hostel, it also includes meeting rooms and workshops. These are located on the upper floors, accessed via concrete bridges with black steel railings, as well as the hostel rooms. The building’s characteristic silo chambers have been preserved and are visible from this perspective.

On the exterior, the circular windows give it an industrial character that makes it so special, and on the ground floor, there is a very cozy lounge and a restaurant that serves delicious pizzas.

Goetheanum

In the midst of the Jura landscape, about 10 km south of Basel, on the Dornach hill, stands the Goetheanum, the center of an active global network of spiritually committed individuals.

The Goetheanum is the headquarters of the Free School of Spiritual Science and the General Anthroposophical Society, a meeting point for people spiritually interested in all origins and religions.

This impressive building was created in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner, a pioneer of the 20th century. It was constructed between 1925 and 1928 using concrete and is the second Goetheanum, as the first was built from wood but burned down due to a fire.

“The Goetheanum is the first monumental building in the history of architecture to use concrete.”

The Goetheanum complex includes other buildings such as the Duldeck House and the Glashaus.

It’s worth taking a stroll around the area after inspecting the interior of this colossal building in detail. Its organic staircases in the colors of the rainbow are stunning, as is the Grosser Saal, the main hall, which is a multicolored fantasy.

Basel is Design

In addition to being the epicenter of architecture and art, Basel is also a hub for design. A prime example of this is the Vitra Campus.

Vitra Campus

The Vitra Campus opened its doors in 1989 and is a must-visit destination for all design and architecture enthusiasts. Notable highlights include Herzog & de Meuron‘s VitraHaus, which houses the Vitra Home Collection, as well as buildings by Frank O. Gehry – responsible for the Vitra Design Museum – Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Álvaro Siza, Nicholas Grimshaw, and SANAA.

The Vitra Campus is located in Weil am Rhein (Germany), very close to Basel. In fact, you can reach it in less than 30 minutes via bus 55.

Another great way to get there is by the Rehberger-Weg, a 5-kilometer path that crosses two countries, connects two museums – the Fondation Beyeler and the Vitra Campus – and can be walked or cycled. It features 24 stops with incredible artistic objects such as cuckoo clocks, birdhouses, and an elevated seat designed by artist Tobias Rehberger to guide visitors from one museum to the other.

“The Vitra Campus is a multifaceted experience of design, architecture, art, and nature.”

We visited independently, but if you prefer, you can request a guided tour available daily in German and English.

Here are the most notable buildings at the Vitra Campus:

VitraHaus

The flagship store of Vitra and home to the Vitra Home Collection was designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Through rooms decorated in various styles, it allows visitors to explore both classic and contemporary designs by modern designers.

In addition to the four-story showroom, the ground floor houses a store where you’ll fall in love with everything and want to take it all home, as well as the Lounge Chair Atelier and the Café.

Vitra Design Museum

The Vitra Design Museum is dedicated to the research and presentation of design – both past and present – and explores its relationship with architecture, art, and everyday culture. Each year, the museum organizes up to ten exhibitions on a wide range of topics related to design and architecture, which can be seen in Frank Gehry’s main building, Herzog & de Meuron’s Schaudepot, and other locations within the Vitra Campus.

Adjacent to the Vitra Design Museum is the Vitra Design Museum Gallery, a small structure also designed by Frank Gehry, showcasing current perspectives.

Schaudepot

The Vitra Design Museum‘s collection is considered one of the most important furniture design collections in the world. It contains around 7,000 pieces of furniture, over 1,000 lighting objects, and numerous archives, including the legacies of designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Verner Panton, and Alexander Girard.

Currently, this space features the exhibition: “Science Fiction Design: From the Space Age to the Metaverse”, curated by Argentine visual artist and designer Andrés Reisinger. It displays over 100 objects from the museum’s collection.

Next to this building is Depot Deli, which specializes in international cuisine. The space is very pleasant and the food is excellent.

Oudolf is considered a pioneer of a generation of garden designers who, in the late 1980s, began questioning traditional landscape gardening because it was seen as too decorative and resource-intensive.

Instead, they turned to perennial plants, often self-regenerating, shrubs, and wildflowers that had never before been considered garden plants, arranging them in unconventional ways. The result is of absolute beauty.

Basel is Gastronomy

In terms of gastronomy, Basel offers a wide range of options from all around the world and for every budget. It is also true that there is a notable presence of top Swiss culinary stars, such as Tanja Grandits at Stucki (2 Michelin stars), Peter Knogl at Cheval Blanc (3 Michelin stars), and Pascal Steffen at Roots (2 Michelin stars).

Buvettes: Along the river, there are some lovely terraces open from spring to autumn, perfect for having a drink and/or enjoying tapas. Buvette Bollwerk and Saint Louis Buvette are our favorites.

Markthalle: Located next to the Artstübli gallery, Markthalle is a former wholesale market transformed into a modern food market similar to Valencia’s Central Market, but more contemporary. It offers a variety of international dishes through its numerous food and drink stalls.

Among our favorite restaurants are the following:

Cantina Don Camillo

Creative cuisine in a post-industrial setting, located in the former Warteck brewery. The environment is stunning. We arrived by ferry from the other side and then wandered around until we reached the top floor to enjoy very tasty organic dishes. During warm days, you can enjoy their terrace.

Bohemia

Breakfasts, lunch, exquisite brunches, and memorable dinners. It is the restaurant of Hotel Märthof and is always filled with locals who come to enjoy its gastro offerings.

Beyeler Restaurant In Park

The restaurant at Fondation Beyeler is a must-visit. During the week, they offer breakfasts and a lunch buffet, while on weekends, there is an à la carte menu. The place is more than evocative, and when the weather is nice, dining outside with views of the garden is absolutely essential.

Le Rhin Bleu

Lovely views and delicious dishes. Their burger and rigatoni are very good.

Peng Dumplings

Great variety of dumplings and other options like baos. Delicious!

Volkshaus Brasserie

The restaurant at Hotel Volkshaus is beautiful and features two areas: one interior and one in a courtyard with string lights. The menu includes international bites in a unique atmosphere.

As for bars, we recommend:

Amber Bar at Kaserne with beautiful city views, Werk 8, located in a former warehouse, and Klara. The latter two also offer casual international cuisine.

And for cafés and bakeries/pastries, here is our selection:

Unternehmen Mitte (UM)

The lobby of the old Swiss Volksbank now houses the largest café in Switzerland. The entire space is beautiful, but its lounge is perfect for relaxing, reading, working, meeting, and, of course, eating or having a coffee, a piece of homemade cake, or a vegetarian lunch menu. This place also features a bakery selling exquisite sweets and the best pretzels in the city. Its terrace is very pleasant.

Unternehmen Mitte (UM) also has a vault room that can be visited.

Bhoch3

Located next to Marktplatz, Alex, the owner and barista, serves, advises, and offers excellent specialty coffee.

Café Frühling

Great coffee, breakfasts, and lunch. Its terrace is ideal on sunny days.

Finkmüller Coffee and Fine Goods

A specialty café decorated with vintage furniture, offering a very cozy service and atmosphere. They also serve pitas, pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. It also features a flower shop.

Bäckerei KULT

With two locations, both of which offer the best sweets and breads in the city. The one in Kleinbasel is the oldest bakery in Basel. Their cinnamon rolls, muffins, and any of their breads are a delight.

Rosa Im Park

This café is located next to St. Claraspital, behind Villa Hirzbrunnen, nestled between a waterfall and ancient trees. This idyllic café offers excellent coffee, pastries made with organic ingredients, homemade vegan ice cream, and other snacks.

Miscellaneous and Pure Nature

If you are nature enthusiasts or looking for alternative spaces, Basel also has great options for you:

Augusta Raurica

This is the largest archaeological park in Switzerland, featuring over 30 monuments; among them, the impressive theater with 2,000 seats still preserved, the picturesque Roman house with its rooms reproduced with the utmost authenticity, and the largest Late Antiquity silver treasure, consisting of over 270 trays, bowls, and coins.

Park Im Grünen

Previously known as Grün 80, this park was once the summer residence of Basel philanthropist Christoph Merian. Today, it is a beloved recreational spot featuring a pond, small golf facilities, a café, a restaurant, a playground, and a small supermarket.

Holzpark Klybeck

Here, you will find the stranded lighthouse ship GANNET, which now serves as an alternative cultural center dedicated to music, theater, and all related arts. It also has a restaurant, a bar, and an upper deck. A very interesting place worth visiting.

In conclusion, as you have seen, Basel is a destination worth discovering, because as we hinted: it will be the next city you fall in love with. Forewarned is forearmed.

(*) Photos by Ely Sánchez & Cecilia Camacho (CC/magazine).