Rénovation de l'institut et Bibliothèque des Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques

Type

Culture et vie sociale

Date de réalisation

2016

Ingénieur civil

THOMAS JUNDT INGÉNIEURS CIVILS

Maître de l'ouvrage

VILLE DE GENÈVE - DÉPARTEMENT DES CONSTRUCTIONS ET DE L'AMÉNAGEMENT , DIRECTION DU PATRIMOINE BȂTI

Autre(s) intervenant(s)

DT aménagements intérieurs: Alfredo Mumenthaler architecte Ingénieur CVSE : ENERGESTION SA - Ingénierus conseils SIA

Surface brute

4'752.70

Coût

8'700'000

Procédure

mandat direct

Architecte

CHRISTIAN DUPRAZ ARCHITECTES

Interview de l'architecte

Descriptif

The renovation of this development by Jean-Marc Lamunière - and his associates - constructed between 1967 and 1974 is a successful example of modern heritage conservation. The buildings comprise a structure composed of “hollow columns and pillars” the product of theoretical ideas that the architect was developing at the time. The panels of the façade that fill the interstructural void are made from opaque glass of the “Thermolux” type in a very accomplished and coherent design. The restoration of all the envelopes of this very beautiful articulated composition was able to benefit from quite a long period of study, including the production of prototypes of the façade, which made it possible to verify the principles before extending them to the built development. In fact, the very meticulous character of the elements grouped together required constant attention and subtlety so as to neither lose the development’s original character nor cover it in an insulating shell that twenty-first century norms nowadays often unequivocally require to be introduced throughout the built domain, even if it is sometimes of historic importance. The approach of the architect for this operation has left only a modest and carefully considered imprint with current tools, in a fusion that pays tribute to both the original architect and that of today. The last stage of the renovation, namely the library of the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of Geneva, reveals a work long hidden from view and reserved exclusively for the internal use of the institution.