The house at Hirzbodenweg 103, the main building of today’s headquarters of International Treuhand AG, is amongst the relatively few Basle villas from the age of historicism still currently maintained. It was built in 1901 as a representative, elegant residence of the upper-class bourgeoisie, where owners and architects joined forces in their common liking for traditional styles from the baroque period of Basle’s past, which to a large extent marked the cityscape in the 18th century.
It cannot be denied that, in the design of the building, there is also a decided leaning towards the Franco-Basle model, in particular a certain affinity to the “zum Delphin” house, today’s home of the heritage department on the corner of Rittergasse and Bäumleingasse. It particularly manifests itself in the rich design of the triaxial street façade which, thanks to its intricate structure, leaves the observer with a harmonious and powerful impression. Completely executed in red sandstone, the central axis of the three-story building, bordered by pilasters, clearly stands out from the two side axes. The whole building rests on a high grey stone plinth. On the ground floor, the central axis is effectively accentuated by an arched, two-winged house door reached by a short flight of steps, magnificently bordered by a veined pilaster and enhanced by forged iron trellis-work with fine arabesques. On both sides, rich garlands spread out from the large rococo cartouche of the vertex. Rising up above this is the facia cornice, in the form of a profiled moulding. Above it is the unframed upper storey window of delicate horizontal joints with a large cartouche and side leaf pendants, crowned by the roof oriel of the decorated mansard, which towers up from the central section. Square-section corner pilaster strips, likewise of red sandstone, form an effective vertical reinforcement of the two side axes with their segmental arched windows, while the horizontal is emphasized by a stone band above the stone plinth, a rectangular facia cornice between the storeys and a small profiled ledge below the eaves.
Through the house door one comes to the entrance hall, impressively decorated with smooth pilasters with Corinthian capitals. From here, steps with magnificent baluster supports lead up to the attic. On the ground floor, grouped around the vestibule are the former drawing room, the study, the living room with connecting veranda and the dining room, joined to the living rooms which, as is the case for the living rooms on the first floor, are today used by Internationale Treuhand AG.
After its acquisition and in appreciation of its superior architectural qualities, carefully considered façade composition, harmonious interior design and first-rate construction, the company had the building renovated in an exemplary manner by the architect Martin H. Burckhardt, carefully preserving its rich interior décor. The house’s usability for company needs was increased by adding a bureau pavilion in the garden towards Wartenbergstrasse.
Former personalities
Adolf Staehelin-Gruner (1853-1941), Building owner
Eduard Vischer-Sarasin (1843-1929), Architect
Bernhard Sarasin-La Roche (1892-1950), Resident
