Halter develops large superstructure in Münchenstein

The chemical company VanBaerle sold its approximately 22,000 sqm company premises on Schützenmattstrasse in Münchenstein (BL) back in 2014. VanBaerle will move away in mid-2019, when the site is to be put to a new use.

Halter AG, which was commissioned with the site development, has explored development and utilization scenarios together with the municipality of Münchenstein. For the municipality of Münchenstein, the very well developed site is an important building block for the urban development and change of use of the "Gstad" quarter located on the Birsebene, Halter writes in a statement.

In a two-stage architectural competition to which eight teams were invited, solutions were to be found for the topics of urban planning and urban space design as well as architectural language and landscape architecture. Three entries were recommended for further processing. They were submitted by Jessenvollenweider Architektur and HHF Architekten from Basel and GWJ Architektur from Bern.

A total of eleven buildings are to be built on four construction sites. The plan is for a mixed-use development with around 400 apartments, restaurants, small businesses and retail space for the neighborhood's supply, as well as complementary uses. The housing will be aimed at a wide range of people, Halter added: single-person households and couples, single parents with children, and families. Accordingly, small apartments and studios, 2.5- to 5.5-room apartments, studios and shared apartments are planned.

The next step will be the start of the neighborhood plan procedure, which is intended to create the legal conditions for the development of the site. The realization of the construction project on the Van Baerle site is scheduled to start in 2021. Halter puts the investment volume at CHF 180 million.