Swiss Review / April 2022 / No.2 Such an immense building – even under a misty shroud. Photo: Stéphane Herzog The residential complex stretches out like a snake. Photo: Ben Zurbriggen describing Addor. His office took part in the energy refurbishment of 1,200 apartments in Le Lignon, a project which was awarded a prize at the end of 2021 by the German-language magazine “Hochparterre” and the Zurich museum for design. The work was spread over ten years and cost 100million Swiss francs. Quick and functional construction Everything about the story of Le Lignon is impressive. To start with, the project was set up in record time.We are 5 km from the centre of Vernier. There was space to build in the area designated by the canton for development without creating an urban sprawl. During the first stage, between 1963 and 1967, 1,846 apartments were completed. “Today, such speed would be unthinkable, just like the design of a project like this, in fact,” observes Jaccaud. The creationwasmodern and functional. The canton and the municipality of Vernier aimed for social diversity. The great snake of Le Lignon, with its streets sloping gently towards the Rhône, offers identically designed apartments, whether for social housing or private ownership. All of the properties offer front and rear views. The prices vary depending on size and floor. As an example, JeanPaul Jaccaud mentions a six-room apartment costing 2,800 francs per month. “…like a street from the Middle Ages” We enter the neighbourhood by passing under an archway. The inner side of the serpent is silent. We walk on, sheltered from the traffic. The carparks are hidden below great lawns. Designed by landscape architect Walter Brugger, the public area is dotted with fountains and squares. The ground floors are open to view. A great stairway in white stone provides a gently sloping pathdown to theRhône, “like a street from the Middle Ages”, says Jean-Paul Jaccaud. Georges Addor built upwards and in a line in order to make the most of the 280,000 square metres of land available for the whole project, with an identical area of habitable floor space at the end. The central building is not just long, but also very high, reaching 50metres at some points. Until the 1990s, the higher of Le Lignon’s two towerswas the biggest in Switzerland. “There aren’t a lot of buildings like this which have aged so well,” comments Jaccaud. Light, peace and quiet, and public services On the tenth floor of the smaller of Le Lignon’s two towers, which are the complex’s prime locations, we visit an apartment which has just been renovated. Thework enabled a 40 percent improvement in energy performance. The initial design was not bad, notes the Genevan architect. Having a lengthy building effectively limits the number of walls to insulate. On this Januarymorning, the sunlight floods the rooms. The view is magnificent, with the Rhône river on one side and the Jura on the other. Another of Addor’s tricks: the two towers in question were built up from the lowest point in the land, “to avoid them becoming too prominent”, explains Jaccaud. Everyone agrees that Le Lignon is a town set in the countryside. It also allows its inhabitants autonomy. At the heart of Le Lignon is a shopping centre on one floor. There is everything there that you could need: a Teenagers and graffiti – part of the Le Lignon tapestry. Photo: Stéphane Herzog
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