isla architects builds temporary pavilion in basel from reclaimed materials

isla architects’ model for a circular economy

Mallorca-based architecture studio isla has realized a temporary pavilion in Basel, Switzerland, using all reclaimed materials and components. Situated in the former industrial district of Dreispitz, the structure was erected in May for the inaugural edition of the Architekturwoche Basel. It will stay open to the public until October 2022.

Called ‘Loggia Baseliana’, the pavilion was designed as part of a competition at the end of 2021. It’s envisaged as an open, democratic structure that invites passage or permanence. It serves simultaneously as a shelter, a stage, an exhibition space, and a materialization of circular economic practices, which connects the past, present and future of the Dreispitz area. The design has a long, linear form that recalls the east bank of the river Rhein and the iconic Kapelbrücke, a wooden footbridge in Lucerne.

images by Luis Díaz Díaz

All the components and materials to build the pavilion have been reclaimed from the Basel region and organized in a catalog for the competition. The pavilion is composed of porticoed modules, combined into 5 different units extending over 50 linear meters. Each unit has its own constructive system and material character with a mix of components and internal solutions, combined with formal clarity and homogeneity under the shape of a vernacular pitched roof.

The roof becomes an important element of the structure, generously cut at preset intervals to create openings for natural light, while simultaneously generating an iconic silhouette for the structure. Inside, a continuous 50-meter-long bench follows the curve of the pavilion’s structure and allows a panoramic view of the spaces ahead, and the industrial context of Dreispitz in the background.

Conceived as a contemplative structure, the pavilion invites visitors to sit and watch by hosting events in the spaces around it, acting as an invitation to Basel’s many programmers and cultural agents. Combining both a program of events and inviting spontaneous use, the pavilion creates a framework for conviviality, encouraging nearby residents, students and passersby to stop by and integrate the pavilion into their daily lives. This sort of urban device transcends the concept of a pavilion related to a specific cultural event becoming part of life in the city of Basel.

The connections and contemplation determined by the pavilion are a fundamental part of the urban environment, which can be traced back to iconic examples such as Florence’s Vasari Corridor. These corridors allow to unveil and contemplate the city in a progressive way. The Loggia Baseliana opens up to the formerly industrial area of Dreispitz, a space that—like the pavilion itself—is a space of potential and possibilities.