Basel BackPack

Last weekend I visited Basel, in the northwest corner of Switzerland where it meets France and Germany. I stayed in a hostel called BaselBackPack, located in a former factory (not sure what type) that now houses a diverse mix of artist workshops, a primary school, cafe, restaurant, etc, all aligned around generous interior courtyards. The cheery post-industrial aesthetic is irresistible. It seemed that they used every type of of recycled container imaginable to fill the courtyard to the brim with growing things, including vines ascending in the air and on walls. Signs located throughout explained various sustainable features of the building, including a rainwater harvesting system.