BIG wins Swiss competition to renovate 1960s warehouse

Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has won a competition to renovate and extend a 1960’s concrete warehouse, the Transitlager, situated in an industrial district of Basel, Switzerland.

The area is being transformed into an “alternative arts district”, and the building will provide a multi-functional series of floors for arts-based, business and residential use.

BIG plans to use a simple and economical materials palette, and will extend the 18,000m² structure by up to 7,000m².

The completed project will comprise two distinct buildings, one on top of the other, which will be based on the same structure but have a different geometry.