AHBasel: Sturdy wooden furniture made from birch plywood with a veneer of rotary-cut birch

Background

AHBasel is a socio-educational, short-term residential facility for male minors aged between 12 and 18. It admits young people from German-speaking Switzerland who have been referred by the authorities for criminal or civil law reasons.

The new building required furniture and interior fittings capable of withstanding the high demands of both open and secure units. Itten+Brechbühl describes the building as comprising two spatially and functionally separate units, each with single rooms, living and recreation areas, classrooms and a kitchen-diner.

In the day-to-day running of such a facility, furniture is subjected to heavy wear and tear. A robust construction, hard-wearing surfaces and durable materials were therefore crucial. At the same time, the interior should not appear cold or institutional. Wood was therefore a deliberately chosen material: it brings warmth to rooms that would otherwise be dominated by concrete, steel, security features and functional architecture.

The solution from Roser AG

For the project, Roser AG supplied birch plywood with rotary-cut birch veneer and a pre-finished surface. The top layers were clad with rotary-cut birch veneer in a plank-like finish. This creates a natural, vibrant wood effect that remains visible even in the light colour tone.

The surface was processed and lacquered at the panel factory using specialised machinery and a tailored surface treatment programme. Roser therefore supplied the panels with a finished surface. For BARD AG, this represented a major advantage: the furniture components could be sawn, milled and assembled ready for use, without the need for any subsequent, time-consuming surface treatment during furniture production.

The light shade, Alabaster White, enhances the room’s welcoming atmosphere. The natural grain remains visible, whilst the surface appears calm, light and clean. It is precisely this combination that meets the requirements of AHBasel: safe, resilient spaces that nevertheless feel human and respectful.

Why birch plywood was ideal for this project

Due to its multi-layered construction, birch plywood is very robust and dimensionally stable. This durability is crucial, particularly for furniture that is subject to intensive daily use. The panels are suitable for doors, cabinet bodies, cupboards, compartments, sideboards and built-in units where impact resistance, screw-holding strength and clean edges play an important role.

The benefits are particularly evident at AHBasel:

The locker systems feature numerous doors with ventilation perforations, locks and handle fittings. The built-in cupboards and sideboards have large door surfaces, where the calm, light-coloured wood finish defines the room. The detailed images show that the panels have been neatly finished even on edges, door leaves and open cupboard units. The veneer structure remains visible despite the light-coloured surface, giving the furniture a high-quality, natural look.

Implementation

The panels were supplied by Roser AG with a finished surface. The industrial surface treatment at the panel factory ensured consistent quality and reduced the number of steps required in furniture production.

This approach is particularly advantageous for a project involving many recurring furniture components, locker fronts and cabinet units. It improves planning, reduces coordination points and ensures that the finished surface meets the required quality standard even before assembly.

Result

The result is durable interior fittings with a clean, calm and natural design. The furniture meets high functional requirements without appearing cold or institutional. The combination of robust birch plywood, a visible birch veneer texture and a light ‘Alabaster White’ finish strikes a balance between durability and cosiness.

This balance is particularly important in a facility such as AHBasel: the furniture must withstand the rigours of everyday life, whilst at the same time fostering an atmosphere in which young people are not merely accommodated, but also supported and stabilised.

Conclusion

The AHBasel reference project in Basel demonstrates how Roser AG supports demanding interior fit-out projects with high-quality wood-based materials. The panels combine robustness, durability and a friendly, natural appearance.

The result is a furniture solution that meets the high standards of a socio-educational youth care facility: resilient in everyday use, precisely crafted and, at the same time, warm in appearance.