Alexandra Bertsch
Wooden Lab. RWTH Aachen (Germany)
The Wooden Lab is a multi-storey timber research facility in Basel, designed to promote sustainable, innovation-driven architecture. Anchored in the principles of biophilic design and neuroarchitecture, the building leverages timber‘s health and climate-positive properties, creating proactive interior spaces that foster well-being and creativity. Timber’s natural qualities are maximized in a hybrid construction, integrating wood with minimal concrete for structural efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Located in the development area of Klybeckquai/Westquai near the Rhine in Basel-North, the Wooden Lab aligns with Basel’s identity as a global hub for science, research, and cutting-edge architecture. Its central position connects to the urban masterplan, playing a pivotal role in the district‘s future transformation while enhancing the local skyline.
Functionally, the Wooden Lab expands Basel’s innovation landscape, exploring synergies between architecture and research. An innovative variation of rooms like labs, different kinds of offices, communication and possibility spaces offers the user opportunities to exchange, retreat and more. As part of the Science Living Lab, the building encourages cross-disciplinary interaction through dynamic spaces that include public areas, co-working spaces, and exhibition rooms, creating a low-threshold interface between research and society.
Timber, a renewable resource with carbon-storing properties, is a main focus in this project and used for its climate-adapted planning potential. The building‘s timber core exemplifies how this material can be scaled for high-rise architecture, overcoming traditional challenges of fire safety, sound and thermal insulation. Following circular economy principles, the design ensures timber’s extended use through cascading material cycles.
The Wooden Lab represents a forward-thinking approach, showcasing timber as a key element for future constructions and giving a impulse for climate-resilient urban development in Basel and beyond.
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