Renewal and Landscape

Located in the heart of the Château Rouge district in Annemasse, which is undergoing a major reconfiguration with the aim of earning eco-district certification, the architecture to be created must signify this renewal, addressing all components of the existing context while offering an environment with specific qualities. Landscape design is, in this sense, the matrix of the project. The built forms are positioned according to pathways winding through the vegetation, creating a dialogue with the Géline River—soon to be uncovered—as well as the early mountain reliefs sketched in the background. To the west, we propose a 6-story high volume that follows the tip of the plot and steps down to 3 stories toward the center of the block. To the northeast, three rectangular 5-story buildings repeat, presenting their short sides to the river. The staggered arrangement of their top 2 levels sets them apart.

The facades fold and cut away depending on the orientations, defined by the varying planes of horizontal and vertical composition.