New Basel by MVRDV

Coinciding with the opening of the IBA Basel 2020 (Internationale Bauaustellung, international building exhibition) the building department of the city of Basel presented "New Basel". Fritz Schumacher, the city planner of Basel explained that the Visualization made by MVRDV should show the possibility of a future development of Basel on a soon-to-be brownfield harbour on the Rhine. The small strip has the potential to totally alter the skyline of the city. A vision for 2020, to include housing, businesses, the city could reclaim a former harbour and industrial area in the corner bordering Germany and France. The harbour which is used to load and unload containers shipped and received from Rotterdam is supposed to be moved to offer more space. The moving of the harbour obviously is the requirement for the city to be able to start developing the lot, which is still covered by railroads and storage buildings. MVRDV together with local planners Marin Josephy and Philippe Cabane suggested to open up this small peninsula, to allow the Rhine to flow and generate a small island. The development also should not stop at the border but include the towns of Weil, Germany, and Huningue, France. According to the city planner Schumacher this future Klybeck island, should become part of the IBA development for Basel.

Via: http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/new_basel__eine_schweizer_hafen-city_1.9002998.html

http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/Manhattan-mitten-in-Basel/story/22884814

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