The residential building at Kannenfeldstrasse 15, cleverly designed by architect Gerhard Kaufmann (1932–2023), was one of his early works, completed in 1959. Influenced by his internship in Paris and the designs of Le Corbusier, Kaufmann created this exposed concrete building amidst Wilhelminian-style structures, just a few houses away from Karl Moser’s concrete church, upon his return to Basel. The narrow plot demanded a keen design sensitivity and a deep understanding of living quality, especially given the challenge of optimizing small units. Kaufmann achieved this by structuring the compact spaces with high-quality wooden fittings, creating flexible, well-furnished interiors.
D & D developed togther with Beer Merz Architects in Basel and us/Studio Greiling from Berlin, a concept focused on preserving the original floor plan typology, apartment sizes, and building structure. The project includes energy-efficient upgrades with photovoltaic systems and underfloor heating, facade renovation of exposed concrete, addition of sun protection elements, and the renewal of infrastructure and loggia parapets.
