Hotel Nomad in Basel
Basel's most recent four-star hotel, the Nomad, has opened in a 1950s former apartment building. Its architectural appearance then was very similar to what it is now: with the exception of a passageway, the ground storey covered the entire site. The structure at front rose seven storeys above it, the one at back, five. The latter was in such severe disrepair that the only option was demolition. When it came to the front building however, the architects, Buchner Bründler, were able to save large parts of the structure. The listed facade facing the street was preserved, its layer of brown paint removed and wide new windows made of untreated aluminium installed. The old attic floor was replaced with a new roof structure that features an angular glass-and-aluminium facade. The rear building is a new build. The windows are considerably larger here and the parapets knee-deep. Narrow aluminium ventilation sashes subdivide the glazing, while the few opaque facade surfaces have been plastered grey.
