IBA Basel

True to its vision of “Au-delà des frontières, ensemble – Growing together across borders”, IBAIBA Internationale Bauausstellung Basel addresses the border location of a highly fragmented urban region. In a ten-year process ending in 2020, IBA Basel aims to promote strong regional networks in the border triangle. IBA Basel is the first International Building Exhibition to cross national borders, taking place simultaneously in Germany, France and Switzerland.

Today, 32 IBA projects already showcase visions for a common future of the three countries. The IBA strives to bring together stakeholders from the private and public sector in a core urban area, and establish binding project partnerships across national, cantonal and municipal borders.

Therefore, the main criterion is that IBA Basel’s projects and processes are of benefit to the entire region beyond the project location. Via a multi-phase qualification and selection process, IBA Basel supports projects by public and private stakeholders to help them earn the IBA label. In addition, it supports project development through studies, specialist events and competitions and offers support with communication or the search for financing. IBA Basel also connects individual projects to form thematic IBA project groups, pooling forces across borders and promoting new ideas. In this way, every project gains in quality that contributes sustainably to strengthening the entire region.

IBA Basel’s fields of action are based on the conditions and needs of the region. They include landscapes, urban zones, and living together across the three national borders. One goal is to promote a sense of belonging to the joint metropolitan region of Basel among the population. Moreover, the cross-border culture of cooperation is to be improved and the international halo effect of the entire IBA environment is to be strengthened.

IBA Basel is funded by public-sector partners from all three countries with financial support from the European Union. Since 2014, Monica Linder-Guarnaccia holds the position of Managing Director of IBA Basel.