GIOVANNI CONCA ARCHITECT




EQUIPE
Carlos Cebollero, Giovanni Conca
WHAT
refurbishment
Area: 40'500 m²
Volume SIA 416: -
CUSTOMER
Hospice général
WHEN
2016
Aeby & Perneger Associés SA
Cité Carl-Vogt
Geneva, Switzerland
​
two-round selective competition
3rd place
Built in the 1960s, the Cité Carl-Vogt is of particular importance to Geneva's entire post-war architectural heritage. lightweight prefabrication system for small reinforced concrete components, developed in Morocco since 1949 and based on a 60x60 cm grid. In addition to 450 dwellings, the Cité also houses a nursery, several restaurants, shops and offices. Following archival research to gather information on the construction process, attention turned to a detailed analysis of the complex itself, its history, and its context. Based on these results, a refurbishment project was developed to ensure the energy efficiency of the existing envelope without altering the original appearance of the buildings and preserving the characteristic prefabricated modular system, clearly
visible in the coffered slabs of the balconies, canopies and roof. The project therefore prioritised a cultural reflection on the need to intervene in built heritage, respecting its architectural quality, over a rigidly technical approach.