GENEVA UNI MAIL, 2ndstep

Construction of a university building in the city centre

Client
République et canton de Genève, DALE
Architect
ACAU, atelier coopératif d’architecture et d’urbanisme
Partners
Perreten et Milleret SA
Location
Geneva
Year
1994 - 1999

Overview
This project gathers all the particularities that a civil engineer can come across in a construction such as :

  • metal structure, mixed, reinforced and prestressed concrete, large spans, construction of acoustic rooms in a second phase
  • landscaping closely linked with urban integration in the city
  • integration of an imposing art work on the square
  •  concert hall and lecture hall construction

Teamwork
This highly complex work required constant collaboration among all the stakeholders, so that the complex met the high requirements of such an achievement, from the architectural, technical and operational points of view.

Box within a box
Only after having finished the structural work of the basement, the construction of rehearsal rooms for the world-famous Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) and a large music library was carried out according to "box within a box" concept, including insulation of the structural elements of the other building parts in order to avoid the transmission of noise and vibrations.