Integrating an industrial plant with a protected forest led to a poetic building that expresses spirit of place. The Muttenz Water Purification Plant harmoniously reconciles an industrial building and a protected ecosystem. Commissioned by the City of Muttenz, the modern plant had to meet rigorous Swiss municipal standards and go through an approval process involving multiple stakeholders. The inherent tension between industrial processes and the delicate ecology of the site led to concealing the plant completely from the outside. Expressed as a tectonic fragment, weathered and carved by water, the structure and skin become one in contrast to the high-tech equipment inside. The result is unexpected – a rock face made of shotcrete and colored by local minerals. Drawing visitors from Europe and around the world, the project has created a landmark for the Basel region; one that educates and inspires visitors to celebrate the limited source of all life on this planet.
