Basel on the Rhine borders the French city of Juning and the German city of Weil am Rhein (famous for the Vitra campus located there). Initially, the plan for the renovation of the river harbor affected only the Swiss territory (the right bank in the northern part of Basel), but the architects proposed expanding it to 160 or even 175 hectares, so that the river would be in its center. To increase the "usable area" of its banks, an artificial island will be created on the Rhine, on which a new bridge will rest.
The Basel Kliebeck harbor area will be rehabilitated according to the general plan approved in 2010. In the southern part of Younging, a biological research "campus" will be created, in the northern part - an eco-district, and in the center will be located new residential areas and a yacht port. In Friedlingen, in the Weil river district, the Rhine and the city center will be connected by means of compaction.
The main difficulty in implementing this long-term plan is that it is not just about three cities, but about three countries with different traditions and, most importantly, legislation. The triple agreement of the project is a big problem, since the last word now remains with the leadership of Basel, Jüning and Weil am Rhein. The architects took into account this difference: they were greatly helped by the common industrial past of all the areas affected by the plan, as well as the Rhine as a common element of the landscape. It allows us to hope for the implementation of the plan that a united economic and urban space at this “vanishing point” of the three European countries is necessary for all participants in the process.
N. F.
