Rapin Saiz Architectes
Clos Bercher psychosocial care centre
best architects 23 in Gold
public buildings
Place
Bercher, Switzerland
Studio
Photos
Joël Tettamanti
Description
The Clos Bercher psychosocial care centre is located on
an open flank of the Menthue Valley, close to the remnants of an old evaporated
milk factory operating from the 1880s to the 1920s. The new building consists
of three longitudinal volumes, slightly shifted in plan and height to blend in
with the curves of the dual-slope terrain. The external articulation, the
repetition of windows on the long façades as well as the look of the gables
topped by chimneys for ventilation recall the site’s industrial past. The
positioning of the different volumes on the slope results in a «split-level»
organisation. Each section contains part of the collective or administrative
spaces as well as a series of rooms corresponding to one living unit. At the
intersection of the three volumes, vertical circulation is provided by a double
staircase within a gallery, offering diagonal views over the interwoven split
levels of the various volumes. The meanderings between bright staircases and
corridors, like a Moebius strip of rooms, undoubtedly give the whole a monastic
character. In terms of atmosphere, the strong presence of the terracotta used
for the brick-like walls and ceilings, which functions as a sound absorber,
lends a warm and calming quality to the common areas. Through its typology, its
character and its insertion in its setting, the Clos Bercher project suggest a
certain idea of anchoring in the community, like a contemporary monastery for
the healing of souls in modern times.