Master plan amendment for BIS Campus open for public review

• Master plan amendment open for public review from 18 November to 17 December. The City of Basel's Construction and Transportation Department is responsible for the master plan procedure.
• The amendment to the master plan is sought to realise the design selected as part of an international competition.
• The BIS Campus Development project is expected to be in a design and planning phase until 2027, based on a proposed design by architectural firms ELEMENTAL and Nissen Wentzlaff Studio.

The BIS today announced that it has requested an amendment to the master plan for its headquarters site in Basel. This is sought to realise the design proposed by ELEMENTAL and Nissen Wentzlaff Studio, which was selected as part of an international competition.

The master plan amendment, which has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Construction and Transportation Basel-Stadt, will be open for public review from Monday 18 November to Tuesday 17 December 2024 at its offices at Münsterplatz 11, Lichthof, 4051 Basel (opening hours: Mo–Fr 08:00–12:15 / 13:15–17:00) or online at www.bs.ch/bvd/planauflagen-und-anordnungen/nutzungsplanungsondernutzungsplanung.

The plan seeks to amend the existing master plan No. 214, which was approved in 2015 by the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt. Overseeing the process is the responsibility of the Department of Construction and Transportation, and the associated political decisions are the responsibility of the Governing Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

The BIS acts as a hub for central banks and other financial regulatory and supervisory authorities across the globe, hosts many international meetings in Basel each year and brings thousands of visitors to the city. The Campus Development project aims to draw together the global central bank community in an environment that inspires thought leadership and collaboration. It also seeks to bring staff working in Basel together in a single location.

The plan to develop the site around the existing BIS Tower is in line with Basel-Stadt's concept for the area surrounding the train station and will correspond with other planned developments. The project is currently in the design and planning phase, which is expected to last until 2027. Adjustments to the planning are sought to give the required scope to implement the final design. More information on the project can be found here.

Notes to editors

The mission of the BIS is to support central banks' pursuit of monetary and financial stability through international cooperation, and to act as a bank for central banks. To pursue its mission, the BIS acts as a forum for dialogue and collaboration among central banks and supervisory authorities. This includes hosting about 150 meetings in Basel every year, which bring more than 5,000 people to the city. The BIS also provides central banks with a platform for responsible innovation and knowledge-sharing, in-depth analysis and insights on core policy issues and sound and competitive financial services.

A master plan is a binding development plan of an area, in this case the BIS headquarters site near Basel's main train station. In 2014, the BIS asked the Canton of Basel-Stadt to rezone part of this site to allow it to make better use of the property surrounding the Tower building in years to come. The master plan was approved by the Basel-Stadt government and parliament in 2014–15. Before applying for a building permit, the master plan needs to be updated to include, for example, the exact location of the proposed new tower.