Rooftop Terrace Design · Basel
From Bruderholz to Riehen
Berlin-based manufactory delivering rooftop terrace concepts to Basel's most discerning hillside villas and Rhine-front estates, with plant design, outdoor kitchens and snow-rated wellness architecture under one curatorial hand.
Why Basel is different
Pharma capital, art-collector culture, and the Rhine rhythm
Basel is the Swiss pharma capital (Roche, Novartis) and one of the world's most concentrated art-collector geographies, host to Art Basel and the global art-fair calendar. Bruderholz forms the historic HNWI hillside villa belt; Gellert, Bachletten and St. Alban anchor the heritage residential zones; Riehen and the Basel-Landschaft communes (Bottmingen, Arlesheim, Binningen) extend the lifestyle. Climate is humid continental moderated by the Rhine – warm humid summers, cold winters, foehn wind events.
We work in this tension daily: with SIA-registered architects and structural engineers, with Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft permitting and Altstadt-heritage consultants, and with the lifestyle expectations of Basel clients between Bruderholz hillside villas, Gellert and Bachletten heritage residences, St. Alban Rhine-front estates, Riehen suburban estates, plus Bottmingen, Arlesheim, Binningen and Oberwil properties. Our role is the plant and outdoor lifestyle layer – ecological substrate, Rhine-Swiss curation, and the wellness elements (sunset terrace, outdoor kitchen, sauna pavilion, fire pit) that turn a Basel rooftop into a year-round sanctuary.
Our Basel approach
Curated plants, ecological substrate, lifestyle integration
- Symbiosis methodology – mycorrhizal partnerships, effective microorganisms and humus building replace chemical fertilisation under Rhine humidity and four-season cycling.
- Rhine-Swiss palette – structural specimens (oak, beech, hornbeam, magnolia, juvenile linden), Rhine evergreens (boxwood, holly, yew, juniper), flowering accents (hydrangea, peony, rose, wisteria), Alpine-adapted accents, Basel courtyard plants.
- Wellness architecture – sunset terrace, outdoor kitchen, sauna pavilion and fire pit integration with Rhine or hillside framing.
- Heritage- and snow-aware execution – SIA-registered architects and structural engineers, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft permitting, Altstadt heritage consent, snow-load-rated detailing.
Areas we serve
Across Basel and the Dreiländereck
Most of our Basel work is concentrated in Bruderholz, Gellert, Bachletten, St. Alban, Riehen, Bottmingen, Arlesheim, Binningen and Oberwil. We also handle select Lörrach (DE) and Saint-Louis (FR) Dreiländereck projects.
How a Basel project unfolds
From first conversation to handover
- 01
Understanding before drawing
Site visit (or detailed remote survey for first conversations from Berlin), discussion of the people and rhythm using the terrace, early constraint mapping (Basel-Stadt/Land, Altstadt, snow load, Rhine flood zone).
- 02
Concept and curation
A small set of plant compositions, material moodboards, wellness element placement. Always optionality.
- 03
Engineering and approvals
Load calculations with SIA-registered structural engineer, Basel-Stadt or Basel-Landschaft permitting, Altstadt heritage consent.
- 04
Installation and handover
Our team installs on site over one to several weeks. Plants are sourced from Swiss and Rhine-Erft nurseries and pre-conditioned for the Basel climate. After handover we offer ongoing care subscriptions following the same symbiosis methodology.
Frequently asked
What clients usually want to know first
- Do you work on rooftop terrace projects in Basel?
- Yes. Most of our Basel work is Bruderholz, Gellert, Bachletten, St. Alban, Riehen, Bottmingen and Arlesheim.
- How do you handle Art Basel-grade aesthetic expectations?
- With curated material moodboards, restrained plant compositions and discreet outdoor kitchen integration that respect the art-collector lifestyle and architectural rigour typical of Basel residences.
- How long does a typical Basel project take?
- Between five and fourteen months from first conversation to handover. Larger Bruderholz or St. Alban estates often need eight to fourteen months of planning.
Start a Basel rooftop conversation
The first call is unhurried – understanding before any concept. We travel from Berlin for site visits when the project warrants it.
Get in touch