003 Arlesheim House
Set on a steep slope at the edge of a forest, with beautiful south facing views of Baselland, sit two single family houses designed in 1976 by local architect Werner Dürig. The project involved the careful renovation of one of these houses with the aim of strengthening the existing key architectural elements of the house and adjusting the layout to the needs of the client. The renovation was completed in summer 2025.
Upon entering from the street-level garage, a new atmospheric sequence has been introduced. The basement corridor — which connects the entrance up two flights of stairs to the main living floor — is now entirely painted in a deep green. Walls, floor, and ceiling form a continuous surface, creating an intense and immersive threshold. From this subterranean passage, one emerges into the bright and expansive ground floor.
At the ground floor, the removal of two sliding doors creates a more generous flow between rooms, and a new monolithic concrete kitchen counter, which sweeps down to form a bench, anchors the kitchen as a central social space. A new void cut into the first-floor slab brings light and visual connection between levels, while a mirrored pivot door provides playfull reflections and allows the entrance to be closed off when needed.
At the first floor level, two former bedrooms and a small WC were reconfigured to create a new home office and second living area. The bathroom was redesigned to accommodate a shower, bathtub, and double washbasins, making a more efficient and comfortable use of the space.
The project was developed through close collaboration with the client and local tradespeople, using a series of hand sketches and conversations to guide the design process. The result is a renovation that respects the strengths of the original architecture, while reimagining it for contemporary living.
003 Arlesheim House
Set on a steep slope at the edge of a forest, with beautiful south facing views, sit two single family houses built in 1976. The project involved the careful renovation of one of these houses with the aim of strengthening the existing key architectural elements and adjusting the layout to the needs of the client.
Upon entering from the street-level garage, a new atmospheric sequence has been introduced. The basement corridor — which connects the entrance up two flights of stairs to the main living floor — is now entirely painted in a deep green. Walls, floor, and ceiling form a continuous surface, creating an intense and immersive threshold. From this subterranean passage, one emerges into the bright and expansive ground floor.
At the ground floor, the removal of two sliding doors creates a more generous flow between rooms, and a new monolithic concrete kitchen counter, which sweeps down to form a bench, anchors the kitchen as a central social space. A new void cut into the first-floor slab brings light and visual connection between levels, while a mirrored pivot door provides playfull reflections and allows the entrance to be closed off when needed.
At the first floor level, two former bedrooms and a small WC were reconfigured to create a new home office and second living area. The bathroom was redesigned to accommodate a shower, bathtub, and double washbasins, making a more efficient use of the space. The project was developed through close collaboration with the client and local tradespeople, using a series of hand sketches and conversations to guide the design process. The result is a renovation that respects the strengths of the original architecture, while reimagining it for contemporary living.