Header image: Student tour guides take part in architectural workshops, while visitors explore the historical features of Wildensteinerhof with Managing Director of Heritage Protection Basel, Andreas Häner.
Open House Basel 2025 reinforces ELA Basel’s role as a vibrant hub for education, creativity, and public engagement.
Open House Basel Spotlight
ELA Basel’s Wildensteinerhof Primary School campus was proudly featured as one of the standout buildings during Open House Basel 2025, a major architectural event celebrating the city’s rich urban heritage and innovative design.
The weekend-long festival invited the public to explore nearly 100 remarkable sites across Basel, from historic landmarks to cutting-edge contemporary buildings.
Heritage Meets Learning
The Wildensteinerhof campus, a beautifully restored 19th-century building, opened its doors to visitors with free guided tours, showcasing how the school’s architectural heritage merges seamlessly with a modern educational environment. This unique fusion highlights the school’s commitment to preserving history while providing a forward-thinking space for learning.
One of the most engaging elements of the school’s participation was the involvement of its Year 4 and Year 5 students as tour guides. These young ambassadors underwent a series of four workshops throughout May to prepare for their role, gaining deep insights into the building’s history, its recent renovation, and the architectural principles behind its transformation. They even met the lead architect responsible for the remodel, who shared expert knowledge about the challenges and triumphs of restoring the historic site.
You can learn more about ELA Basel’s beautiful campuses in Basel here: https://www.ela-basel.ch/
Image: Year 5 students give guided tours of Wildensteinerhof to excited visitors.
ELA Basel Primary School Students as Guides
On the weekend of the event, these trained students confidently led visitors through the corridors and classrooms of Wildensteinerhof, sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge with impressive professionalism.
The positive feedback from attendees reflected not only the architectural significance of the building but also the effectiveness of engaging the ELA Basel school community, particularly its youngest members, in the event.
Professional tours were also available on Saturday, ensuring that the public could experience both expert commentary and the fresh perspectives offered by the student guides.
In addition to the tours, the school hosted an exhibition of children’s artwork inspired by Open House Basel’s theme. Young artists from across the city participated in the “Zeichne ein Haus” competition, sketching buildings featured in the event’s programme. Their drawings were displayed in the school’s courtyard throughout the weekend, culminating in an award ceremony where winners received architectural drawing sets and had their artwork transformed into poster prints.
Art, Community, and Legacy
The event provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the role of Wildensteinerhof not only as a place of learning but also as a community landmark. Visitors were able to appreciate how adaptive reuse of historic buildings can serve contemporary needs without compromising heritage, creating inspiring spaces that foster both education and cultural continuity.
ELA Basel’s involvement also underscored the school’s wider mission to connect with the Basel community through culture and education.
By opening its doors to the public and involving students in meaningful roles, ELA Basel reinforced its position as a vibrant hub where history, creativity, and community intersect.
The success of the event has sparked plans to deepen community engagement in future years, with ELA Basel exploring opportunities to host more cultural and educational initiatives within the Wildensteinerhof campus. Such initiatives aim to further bridge the gap between the school and the wider Basel population, strengthening ties through shared experiences.
Moreover, the participation of young students as tour guides highlighted the importance of experiential learning beyond traditional classrooms. This hands-on approach empowered students with public speaking skills, historical knowledge, and a sense of pride in their school’s heritage—lessons that extend well beyond the architecture itself.
Image: Managing Director of Heritage Protection Basel, Andreas Häner, speaks to visitors in the Telemach Room
ELA Basel – The Swiss British School of Basel
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We encourage parents who are interested in learning more about ELA Basel — an independent international school in Basel committed to providing high-quality childcare and education — to reach out and book a personal tour.
Learn more about ELA Basel’s beautiful campuses in Basel, facilities, school hours, and After School and Holiday Programmes here:
https://www.ela-basel.ch/
Or, in our free magazine, the Summit Family Guide, Basel Edition – The complete guide to childcare, private education, and international schools in Basel here.
