Location of the initiative:
SWITZERLAND, Geneva
Relation to Strategy 21 Recommendations:
Time span of the initiative:
since 2009
Brief description of the initiative:
The problem of energy efficiency affects all buildings and particularly social housing of the post-war period. The case becomes one of great significance when we consider the ‘Cité du Lignon’, which has been recognised, since its inception, as an icon of modern architecture, and therefore of international interest.
The Cité du Lignon near Geneva (1963-1971) is the most ambitious and large-scale of all housing projects in Switzerland. Its heritage value was recognised in 2009 by the adoption of a site plan, giving protection on an urban scale and recommending the preservation of the whole site and its remarkable outdoor areas. Faced with new energy use regulations – a priority in Switzerland – a reduction in energy consumption in the Cité was unavoidable.
Objectives of the initiative:
- Convergence of heritage, economic contraints and energy issues
- Introduce measures that will allow us to conserve the existing facades while respecting energy standards
- Introduce new materials for comfort and insulation into structures designed from the start as streamlined and minimalist
Brief assessment of the initiative’s results:
The research conducted by the TSAM laboratory between 2008 and 2011 provided a framework for future interventions with rigour of the methodology and exemplary thoroughness of the conclusions. This pilot research has been the means to develop an evaluation method, embodying several different relevant criteria, which could define the most appropriate forms of intervention. This initiative, given its encouraging early results, introduces a conservation tool which can be applied to a great range of buildings from all periods.
On-line ressources:
- Conference
- Conference
- Full text
- https://www.espazium.ch/la-cite-du-lignon-19631971
- https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=hei-001:2013:108::268
Contact:
Franz Graf, Giulia Marino
Laboratory of techniques and presrvation of modern architecure, TSAM
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, EPFL-ENAC
EPFL-ENAC-IA-TSAM
BP 4126 (bâtiment BP)
Station 16
1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Tél. +41.(0)21.693.36.29
http://tsam.epfl.ch
[email protected] ; [email protected]
