Designs for life: how the best architecture puts people first

How did Herzog & de Meuron establish Europe’s leading architectural partnership – one that’s endured and prospered for nearly half a century? William Cook visits their Swiss hometown to find out

Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron (Diana Pfammatter)

In their workaday offices in Basel, Switzerland’s most creative city, Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron are describing how they’ve designed some of the world’s most iconic buildings. From London’s Tate Modern to Beijing’s National Stadium (aka The Bird's Nest), from the Allianz Arena in Munich to the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, their creations have become instant classics, and now a new exhibition at London’s Royal Academy reveals the mechanics of their unique practice.

How did Herzog & de Meuron establish Europe’s leading architectural partnership – a partnership that’s endured and prospered for nearly half a century? I’ve come to their Swiss hometown to find out. Their buildings are scattered around the globe, but it’s in Basel, where they were born and raised, that you learn about the philosophy behind their work – a philosophy that’s informed by a close connection with the world around them.

Wandering around Basel, seeing the amazing things they’ve built here, you quickly become aware of their extraordinary range. Herzog & de Meuron are renowned for their museums and stadiums, but their portfolio is far broader. I visit a chic hotel, an opulent concert hall and a bucolic hospital, all built in their own backyard, in their own inimitable fashion.