Frei Rezakhanlou architectes

Description

The community facility is shared by five different villages; the selected site, right next to Chermignon-d’en-Bas, is therefore located on the main road that connects the villages with each other and with the Rhone Valley at the foot of the mountains. The shape of the building and of the retaining walls precisely echoes the contours of the peaks and hence fits naturally into the steep topography of the site. The public square formed by the new buildings recalls the form of a traditional village square. The floor plan of the multipurpose hall is an extension of the school, producing a single formal unit. This ensures rational operations and guarantees the general efficiency of the complex. The components of the programme complement each other and can all be used independently of one another, but still form a unified ensemble. As central component of the project, the esplanade halfway up the slope of the site forms the connecting element, preventing anonymity and encouraging exchange, communication, sharing and security. Its numerous functions hence promote social life at the complex.