Water Reservoir Bruderholz
This facility gives the underground, secretive world of water supplies a face in Basel-Bruderholz. Of the enormous building volume, only its administrative floor above the ground is visible.
The architects integrated it gently into the public space due to its location in the middle of a park landscape.
The visible part, with its prominent fold over the lengthy copper sheet gate, creates the impression of a greatly expanded crystal.
Its gently inclined roof grows out of the equally rising terrain. The roof is terraced and green, thereby becoming part of the landscape and a viewing platform in the park.
The building’s envelope is double-layered. The inner layer encloses the concrete technology room, which is connected to the underground reservoir on the slope side.
The outer façade consists of prefabricated concrete elements with a perforated appearance inspired by grass pavers. The gap between the façade and the inner core is filled with plant substrate. As time passes, as on dry walls, wild flowers will grow out of the stone. The process will allow the new building to merge with the park to an increasing degree over the years. The new facility continues the City of Basel’s tradition of constructing water supply buildings with a high architectural value in the Bruderholz area.
