Outcast

The impact of the current poly-crisis on the notion of European identity is examined and addressed architecturally in the context of the Baselstrasse neighbourhood in Luzern, which is considered the backstage of the city, a place for the outcast. Public places, infrastructure, and access to the riverfront are almost non-existent. In the first phase, the Parkhaus remains a parking garage, while only the structural elements of the uppermost floor are dismantled and used to build the river bath. In a second phase, again just the top floor elements are used to build the community building. In the last phase, like tearing up a carcass, half of the building remains standing and with the elements of the other half, an L-shaped housing volume is developed. The three buildings and the connecting bridge are not necessarily to be read as one. Nevertheless, their volumes become part of an urban composition which has characteristics of a unity.