Basel is a subtle and sophisticated woollen upholstery textile, designed by Herzog & de Meuron for the Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. Available in ten versions, it offers a wide variety of expressions, ranging from formal to informal, smooth to rough, and dark to light.
Basel comes in five different patterns, each of which is available in black or white. These are characterised
by unique, fine structures created with simple bindings. The difference between them is the manner in which they are constructed. Consequently, whilst they all feature small, precise shapes, the size and form of the shapes
for each pattern is different: some are little triangles, others small squares or ovals.
The patterns combine very well, and when used together, project a strong sense of tactility and complexity. For instance, placing differently upholstered chairs next to one another creates an eye-catching and intricate look – they are related yet each chair has its own character.
The idea for Basel was born when Ascan Mergenthaler, Senior Partner at Herzog & de Meuron, was looking for a textile that would play with light and fit well with the textured cement walls and oak floors of the Grand Hall of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. Unable to find such a fabric, he approached Kvadrat with a view to creating one.

'The design process was one of restriction,’ explains Ascan Mergenthaler. ‘Restriction in material, in colour, and in the weaving pattern. This way the process was almost digital, based on a binary system; 0 and 1, yes and no, black and white.
The only variables for exploration were scale and inversion.’The vision for the fabric was successfully realised in the collaboration with Kvadrat. Ascan Mergenthaler: ‘Basel has a structure and a certain grain to it, where you can sense the material. Inspired by tweed, which has the rough homespun look and feel one associates with wool, Basel is durable and informal, yet it has class and style.’Thanks to the versatility Basel offers, it is suitable for a wide range of contexts, from offices and concert halls to hotels and private homes. Importantly, it meets all the requirements for contract usage. Furthermore, it offers high content of renewable fibres and is therefore suitable for those looking for a textile with a reduced environmental impact; for instance, architects or interior designers working with LEED certified buildings.

Established in Basel, Switzerland in 1978, Herzog & de Meuron is today an acclaimed architectural practice led by five Senior Partners – Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Christine Binswanger, Ascan Mergenthaler and Stefan Marbach – with a global network and client list. While many of their projects are well-known public facilities, such as stadiums and museums, they have also completed several distinguished private projects, including apartment buildings, offices and factories. Herzog & de Meuron have won several prestigious awards for their work, such as The Pritzker Architecture Prize (USA) in 2001, the RIBA Royal Gold Medal (UK) and the Praemium Imperiale (Japan), both in 2007.

The fabrics cannot be exchanged or refunded.