Portraits of a City
Discover stories in the following four areas:
The portraits invite you to take a look behind the scenes and immerse yourself in Basel’s artistic, architectural, cultural and gastronomic landscape.
Each month, you get to rediscover Basel through the eyes of its locals – inspiring, emotional and genuine.
Art
Between iconic museums such as the Kunstmuseum Basel and the Fondation Beyeler, a young, experimental art scene is thriving. Former industrial sites and open studios create fresh opportunities that allow Basel to constantly reinvent itself. The internationally renowned Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW attracts young artists and designers from all over the world and feeds the city with creative energy, which is manifested in pop-up shows, off-spaces and temporary exhibition formats. If you take a look behind the façades, you’ll encounter both up-and-coming and established artists who keep Basel’s art cosmos alive. Our articles introduce you to these Basel artists – from newcomers to icons – in person.
Architecture
From the medieval Town Hall to visionary glass buildings designed by Herzog & de Meuron – Basel is a testing ground for architecture, where historic structures and avant-garde designs stand side by side. Prototypes for the urban life of tomorrow take shape on former industrial sites such as Dreispitz, while young international architects feed their ideas into the city at the FHNW School of Architecture, Construction and Geomatics. This creates a dialogue between workshops, planning offices and construction sites that constantly reshapes Basel. In our articles, we portray the people behind this architecture scene – from up-and-coming talent to established practitioners.
Culture
Be it a big opera premiere at the award-winning Theater Basel or piccolo sounds at the “Morgestraich” during the Carnival in Basel – Basel’s culture beats to the same rousing beat on stage and in the streets. Carnival, the traditional Rhine Swim, vibrant club nights, local artisans and a prestigious theatre, film and music programme merge to create a city scene that constantly oscillates between a sense of home and the spirit of the times. Our articles shine the spotlight on the people behind this diverse cultural mix.
Gastronomy
Basel is a place where the traditional and the modern come together – reflected not only in architecture and art, but also in gastronomy. Here, specialities merge with innovative, experimental cuisine. Gourmets can sample traditional delicacies alongside dishes from all over the world – from Japanese dumplings to Levantine mezze, Turkish kebabs and fusion cuisine. Despite the international diversity, the local restaurants attach great importance to regionality and seasonality, maintaining close contact with the farms and small producers in the surrounding area. Many of the products are made in Basel itself – from locally brewed beer and home-made city honey to herbs from local gardens.
