Public Facilities Building / Lacroix Chessex

Architects: Lacroix Chessex
Area: 4600 m²
Year: 2021
Photographs: Olivier di Giambattista
Civil Engineer: Ingeni SA Genève
Heating and Ventilation Engineer: Energestion SA
Electrical Engineer: Ingenius Sàrl
Acoustic Engineer: AcouConsult
Building Physicist: Sorane SA
Design Team: Lacroix Chessex
Surveying Engineering: Küpfer Géomètres SA
Sanitary Engineer: Martin & Doy. Ingénieurs conseils Sàrl, Magairaz Fredy
Safety Engineer: Ecoservices SA
City: Geneva
Country: Switzerland

Public Facilities Building designed by Lacroix Chessex in Geneva forms part of the eco-district at Jonction and complements three adjacent residential units with a program that includes a crèche, a sports hall, spaces for extracurricular activities, and a multi-purpose hall. The design arranges distinct but related programmatic blocks in a compact configuration that maximizes open land for quality public space. This urban square connects to a sequence of open spaces, culminating in a new entrance at Rue des Gazomètres and emphasizing the project’s frontage along Boulevard Saint-Georges as part of the larger urban fabric. The building articulates a clear separation between adult-oriented functions at ground level and child-centered spaces above, divided by a concrete platform that serves both as a structural and acoustic boundary. The crèche, housed in a raised brick volume around an open courtyard, evokes a protective, fortress-like space, referencing childhood sandcastles while offering a secure, central place for growth and development in the city.

Public facilities building / lacroix chessex

The project is part of the eco-district at Jonction and serves as a public facilities building that complements three existing residential units. Its program includes a crèche, a sports hall, spaces for extracurricular activities, and a multi-purpose hall.

On the site, the building is organized through a strategy of distinct yet related volumes set in offset positions. The compact layout preserves land for the creation of a high-quality urban public space within the new district. This square forms a continuous link with a network of open urban spaces that conclude at the corner opening onto Rue des Gazomètres, establishing a new entrance to the former Artamis site. The project is defined by a prominent urban street frontage along Boulevard Saint-Georges, emphasizing its role within the continuity of the urban fabric. The architectural approach revisits the concept of public ground levels with domestic-scale functions placed above.

The spatial organization follows a clear division: spaces associated with adults, such as the sports hall and multi-purpose hall, are positioned at ground level, while the children’s areas are placed above. A substantial concrete platform separates these zones, resolving the structural demands of long spans while also serving as a layer of acoustic insulation.

The crèche takes the form of a large brick house elevated on the platform. Its internal layout centers around a courtyard open to the sky. Envisioned as a future Cité de l’enfance, the design recalls the imagery of childhood sandcastles. In the midst of the urban setting, it stands as a small, fortress-like structure offering a secure and nurturing environment for children to grow within the city.