Wildensteinerhof

The Basler "Wildensteinerhof", where a school was first established in 1887, is a representative city palace built from 1775 to 1777 for the silk ribbon manufacturer and councillor Jacob Christoph Frey, by the architect Johann Jacob Fechter, one of the two most significant builders of the Baroque period in Basel, as a residential and commercial building, and has long been used as an educational facility in modern times. The ensemble received its name from one of the three predecessor properties located here, which belonged to Jacob Eptingen von Wildenstein in the 15th century. In 1945, the building complex, including the garden, obtained Swiss national monument status as an outstanding late Baroque example in Basel. In the 1990s, a complete renovation, restoration, and partial reconstruction took place.

The complex consists of a main building standing in the row of buildings on "St. Alban-Vorstadt" street, which, despite its large width, remains discreetly reserved, and at the rear, two wing buildings connect to various ancillary buildings. One of these is the so-called "Summer House," whose architectural roots date back to the 16th century. The stately estate is complemented by a courtyard garden, which was originally significantly larger.

Through the comprehensive renovation of the entire property from 2022 to 2023 and the conversion of the Summer House, on the one hand, the historically valuable aspect as a public cultural heritage of the Basel cityscape was preserved, and on the other hand, the current needs of a modern school operation were met. The extensive work carried out inside the building, in close cooperation with the cantonal monument preservation authorities, ensured the conservation of the building fabric and enabled the restoration of its historical condition. Additionally, the functional safeguarding of individual structural elements and electrical installations took place. Various protective measures for children were incorporated into the planning and execution at the request of the new tenant. Furthermore, there is an improvement in the fit-out standards, and in the Summer House, a commercial kitchen with ancillary rooms, a ventilation system, and a grease trap has been installed.