Page 181 - DIVA_MY WORKS 1918-2022

Three Swiss Palaces for Multilateralism: full advantage of daylight for skiing or hiking difference. The new building repeats certain
Present, Past and Future could enhance productivity. Interacting with lines but in a modern way, to suit the same
the local community will broaden horizons, landscape.
whether by learning traditional skills such as
By Evelina Rioukhina and Ash Charlton cheese-making or doing something useful for Our Palais was a hub of its era – no mere suite
them like conservation work. of offices, it was always intended as a creative

This article was originally inspired by the work cold winds to give an enhanced microclimate. space for meeting and negotiating. The new
of the world-renowned British architect Lord This is a contemporary interpretation of the A visitor could arrive with just hand luggage, building, for example, was expressly designed
Foster, who kindly shared the beautiful renders thick walls and deep windows of the Engadin using the local speedy internet to work in this to encourage these creative ‘out of meeting’
for his planned wooden, energy-efficient valley, designed to minimise heat loss. The special ambience. People could visit singly or encounters, and much of its beauty comes
construction in Switzerland. This inspiring building will be made of local materials and in groups, and network during their stay or from the easy flow between areas, and its
‘palace in the snow’ inspired thoughts about covered in larch shingles. not as suits them. many nooks for informal discussions.
our existing Palais, and about a possible future
one. This article is about all three. The low-rise structure has a contoured Looking at the renders, we saw not a modern So those are the palaces of the present and
roofscape with skylights as well as renewable hub but a real palace in the Alps. Of course, we past, what about the future? Well, going back

To start with the star of the show, Lord Foster. energy generation systems. Along with the already have a palace of our own: our Palais to the Foster building, the Alps give a different
A year ago we paid a visit to his Chesa Futura building’s energy efficient systems, these will des Nations in Geneva. It was proposed for an perspective to the idea of a palace. The sheer
in St Moritz (article in Diva 2/2021), but when generate a third of total energy demand. At architecture competition in 1926, when 377 height will give another dimension when
we learnt that he is planning not just a building, the project’s heart is the ‘village square’ – an architectural projects were submitted along people stand in the transparent “sky” terrace,
but a whole hub mini-city, we had to learn amphitheatre gathering space, on top of which with the project by the great Le Corbusier. The with the mountains as walls and the sun as
more about it. On his recent visit to Geneva will be a distinctive rooftop café and terrace vision of the Palais was very different at that ceiling. One of the renders looks almost like a

he kindly supplied us with his initial renders. overlooking the valley. time: “un palais de verre” by the modernist fairy tale, and we immediately wondered - can
These incredible images are shared with you Le Corbusier, or a more classical “palais de this mountain palace be for us, our “Palais”
below, as well as details of the project and our La Punt is an innovative “third place”: not pierres” by the majority of architects. As it was for Geneva International, or simply a “Palais
own thoughts about it. home, not office, but somewhere a person not possible to select a single winner, a group of Internationale” in the Swiss Alps?
can both live and work when they need to. five architects oversaw the Palais construction
The new project is called La Punt. It will be It is an old idea, but during the pandemic we (see the book by Jean-Claude Pallas Pallas We have always felt that here in Geneva
built in Chamues, Grisons, and will be a could see how vital it might be. Teleworking “Histoire et Architecture du Palais des Nations; International, we need a sort of “third place”.
centre for innovation, creating new jobs and from home showed us that other ways of (1924-2001); and our earlier articles in the The Palais is a partial hub – it has office and
revitalising local products, as well as promoting work were possible, so why not improve these magazine UN Special). other spaces, but it is still a workplace, not a
collaboration between locals, tourists, start-ups and make them sustainable? Work breaks home. No matter how many creative meetings
and universities. The 6,000 square metre space to environments like La Punt could benefit It is strange to look now at the contrasting we have, at the end of the day we all go back to
will include work and seminar spaces, sports employees and employers. newer building H, with its ultra-modern homes and hotels. Receptions in the evening
facilities, retail shops and a restaurant, as well energy efficient structures. It was designed cannot compensate for longer interaction in
as underground car parking. Spending a month or two in the mountains, by totally different generation of architects, a different environment – eating and living
close to nature, would benefit morale, health but to us it somehow echoes the spirit of together. This might not be suitable for all
The design is inspired by the landscape and local and well-being, especially for desk workers. Le Corbusier, as both buildings represent a conferences, but it could be fruitful for some
architecture, with a protective wall blocking Establishing fixed working hours while taking perfect architectural match despite a century’s working group meetings, and even talks.

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