Flon I
Until the late 19th century, the Flon was a large valley crossed by a river of the same name. The site’s pronounced topography was punctuated by imposing bridges crossing the valley. In 1877, the construction of the funicular tunnel linking Lausanne’s city center to Ouchy required extensive excavation. The extracted materials were used to fill the valley, creating a vast urban platform. Over four phases, students developed a project on this site, progressing from the conception of foundations to an exploration of the potential project.
I. The river is made visible once again. Part of the excavated material is reused to create a new terraced topography, forming the starting point for a sequence of spaces and experiences.
II. Positioned opposite the southern terraces to preserve them for cultivation, a structure emerges from the existing rock formations like an epiphyte.
III. The façade composition highlights a dissociation between the multiplication of volumes and the organization of interior spaces. A punctual wooden structure supports the façade loads, while the whole building is wrapped beneath a continuous red roof.
IV. The fill material removed to reveal the Flon River is reused to construct the façade. Mixed with water, cement, and gravel, it becomes the primary on site building material.