The extension of the existing building by Jean-Jacques Tchumi has been awarded a regional distinction of these esteemed awards dedicated to exceptional timber construction. Many thanks to localarchitecture, Thinka and Ateliers Casaï!
The Alto building is part of the "L’Esplanade de Pont-Rouge" complex, located near the railways and Lancy Pont-Rouge train station. The sixteen-storey building reaches almost 60 m in height and it is intended for a mixed use. It accommodates retail, activities and office areas. The geometry of the building is characterized by multiple and varied orientations. The morphology of the building fits the different urban scales all around and creates a wide variety of perspective views which define its marked identity. The three basement levels connect the entire complex underground.
The design of the building aims at providing a rapid and cost-effective construction. The reinforced concrete structure, which is made of flat slabs supported by regular arrays of precast concrete columns with spans of 8 m, meets such criteria. Highly specialized work was undertaken to guarantee the safety of the excavation site located near high-traffic roads.