A 1930s building recently repurposed as a community venue in Basel, Switzerland, by the Wibrandis Foundation, the Oekolampad Gemeindehaus is the first initiative undertaken by the Wibrandis Foundation. Among those behind it are WSDG, Wibrandis Stiftung and a team of architects from Vécsey*Schmidt Architekt*innen.
WSDG was contacted in 2020 by Vécsey*Schmidt Architects to collaborate as acousticians on the project, at this point it was a feasibility survey, to see if it was viable under the strict boundaries imposed by the cantonal monument preservation office’s protection guidance. Work began in 2022 under the guidance of Construction management company Anderegg Partner AG, and the building officially opened in May 2024.
Each of its 50 rooms subsequently received carefully engineered acoustic treatment, from the electro-acoustic solutions in the new Theatre Box to acoustic curtains in the children’s play area.
The building’s original use was as a Protestant Church and rectory, but since 2011 there have been no services, although the building was still used for meetings. Preservation of the building’s aesthetic was paramount, but usability was also key.
The space needed to be accessible to community groups from every part of Basel, from the children in the Quartier-treffpunkt Basel play area to the people living with dementia who are welcomed into the gardens and offices by the Basler Wirrgarten Foundation.
‘We worked closely with the theatre planners at THAT Hamburg GmbH to create the Theatre Box, now home to the Vorstadttheater company,’ says Gabriel Hauser, Partner and Director of Acoustics for WSDG.. ‘The restrictions of the cantonal monument preservation order meant that the theatre space was designed to sit entirely independently within the main building and is acoustically de-coupled. This ensures that the whole building can be enjoyed by completely different groups at the same time, without noise disturbance.’
The Theatre Box is constructed entirely from wood, with acoustically decoupled walls that stop short of all protected surfaces. It measures 180m2, with a room height of 8m, and has seating for more than 120 people. This isolation is achieved in part by specialist wooden studs that have an internal rubber body to significantly reduce sound transfer. The choice to use a wooden structure removed the need for steel-based structural integrity, further improving the building’s ecological credentials.
The original organ remains in place and the external windows are all still intact, having been restored using traditional methods to preserve the original glass wherever possible. The space feels light and airy, continuing the aesthetic of the rest of the centre. All acoustic treatments blend seamlessly into the main fabric of the space and have been sensitively designed with this in mind.
The sound system, simulated and modelled by the WSDG team, was integrated by AV partners Auviso. An L-Acoustics X12 LCR-system is hung from bespoke, decoupled brackets. This means that no acoustic energy is returned to the structure from vibrations, completing the decoupling and ensuring that difficult to manage bass and sub-bass frequencies are more easily contained within the space. The theatre also contains a hidden induction loop in the floor for hearing impaired visitors. This system is fully independent of the main house PA, ensuring that it can always be used, regardless of the type of performance.
The original church balcony has been repurposed as a rehearsal space for the theatre, so acoustic treatments have been applied in the form of gently perforated wooden panels that are almost invisible as part of the décor, coupled with fabric panels in the roof that are hidden from view along with acoustical curtains at the walls, so the space feels calm and usable.
The tranquil atmosphere is continued throughout the rest of the building. The Bistro Rosa has also benefitted from WSDG acoustic treatments, this has resulted in a peaceful space that patrons can feel relaxed in, often meaning they stay longer and make more purchases. The kitchen is also governed by strict noise regulations and the acoustic treatments ensure that the noise levels stay within this guidance, resulting in a better experience for staff and customers.
In the offices employ further hidden acoustic treatment. Among other things, absorptive but translucent curtains were installed in front of the windows. WSDG’s expertise and knowledge is evident in the fine details applied in every part of the building. The design aesthetic shines through the Gemeindehaus Oekolampad and will be an asset to the community for generations to come.
‘This project was an extraordinary collaboration,’ Hauser says. ‘Working with the architects and integrators ensured that each detail has been carefully processed to be the best iteration possible. It is a very satisfying outcome and one we are very proud to be a part of.’
Juri Schönenberger, MSc Arch. USI AAM and Associate at Vecsey*Schmidt Architekt*innen, also highlights WSDG’s role in the project: ‘Working closely with WSDG, we successfully met the specific user requirements for building and room acoustics, while maintaining the highest quality standards and respecting the listed building status throughout the facility.’
