Immeuble Figuiers B, Lausanne
Short description
The northern and southern boundaries of the plot are defined by two busy axes: av. des Figuiers and av. de Rhodanie. These two roads converge and meet at the Maladière traffic circle, the south-western exit from the city of Lausanne.
The project
The project was created on the basis of a classic program, but was nevertheless subject to numerous constraints related to the nature of the site. In addition to suitable structural measures to ensure the building was insulated from traffic noise, the location of the building had to be agreed with a pressure-reducing station of the natural gas distribution network. This system was dismantled and rebuilt in the basement of the building, as was an electrical substation, which was also located on the site.
These various works also led to the uncovering of two important pipes (90 and 60 cm in diameter), not shown on the plans, which transported the city's wastewater to the Vidy treatment plant. This discovery meant that the underground parking garage had to be reconstructed and some parking spaces were lost. Finally, the earthworks led to the discovery of rows of seats from a Roman amphitheater. The subsequent archaeological investigations led to a six-month halt in construction and measures to store the finds in a crawl space beneath the building and its entrances. The result is a high-quality building based on a reinforced concrete structure and clay masonry with perimeter insulation and mineral plaster.
Services in detail
The two buildings are easily accessible by private and public transport and offer a total of 42 apartments and two commercial spaces, which are fully let. The main facades are arranged at right angles to Avenue des Figuiers and face east and west, creating two parallel blocks. The outdoor areas are particularly well maintained to offer a quality environment, despite the road adjacencies and their disadvantages, which are offset by the immediate proximity to the lakeshore and the vast recreational areas within easy reach.
Construction volume: 15'864m3