Regional Planning Strategy ELBA, Basel (1st Prize, Competition)

The planning area Leimental-Birseck-Allschwil forms the southern part of the Basel agglomeration and is one of the most attractive places to live and work in the region. A strong symbiosis exists between city and landscape. Due to the historically grown corridor structure of the urbanised areas, traffic infrastructure is efficient and well coordinated with the settlement structure of the region. As the basic system of urbanized space—traffic infrastructure—landscape works well, the regional development strategy builds upon the existing structure of the agglomeration.

Urban development is mainly focused on high quality densification within the existing urbanized areas, particularly at areas which are well-served by public transport. In this way, attractive landscape can be preserved, edges of settlement areas are defined and redesigned. The extension and expansion of traffic infrastructur is done along existing radial lines and supports the development of dense urban corridor structures. With a settlement-compatible traffic organisation (which includes parking space management), synergies between urban development and mobility can be used. The densification of existing settlement areas and the interlacing of traffic flows support the emergence of a “city of short distances”, a sustainable and space-saving modal-split and energy efficiency.

Project title:

Regional development ELBA (Leimental-Birseck-Allschwil), metropolitan region of Basel, competition 1st prize (2011), test studies (2012)

Team:
  • Atelier CORSO LLC (lead)
  • mrs partner AG (mobility)
  • asp Landschaftsarchitekten AG (landscape planning)
Client:
  • Kanton Basel-Land
  • Département Haute-Rhin