Lausanne, Switzerland

2008

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The Beaulieu Convention Centre and Losinger SA launched an international competition in 2008 to requalify the southern and western edges of the existing Centre's site in Lausanne. Our response centred on restoring the inherent topographical geometry of the site: previous axial planning coexisted poorly with a diagonal slope. We reopened the southeast corner of the site (a condition which had existed in the 1930s), creating a new monumental stair entry which generated terrace-level access to a mixed-use development of shops, offices and hotels on the east. To the south a new tower (containing hotels of two and four-star categories) created a new visual reference in the cityscape, and permitted the creation of a piazza at the corner.

 

A new restaurant on top of the southern convention halls benefitted from lake and mountain views across a rooftop water pool. The southern building's facade structure cited, declined and eventually decomposed the austere rhythm of the existing central convention hall, like a jazz improvisation on a given theme. The theme was further animated by wooden sun breaker blinds operated by individual hotel patrons, generating a random and ever-changing appearance to the building's exterior.

 

Team:

Studio Andrew Todd

Eloisa Cuturi

Jean-Pierre Fuda

Estelle Hondier

Andrew Todd

 

Morph (Images)