Avenue du Grey 76

Situation

This building, erected in 1972, is located to the north-west of Lausanne, adjacent to the Blécherette airfield, the Service des Automobiles and the World Trade Center. The twelve-storey tower on the ground floor, 42 metres high at the cornice, was showing its age and in need of major renovation to bring its insulation and waterproofing up to current standards.

This was achieved by replacing the windows and patio doors with insulating glass units mounted on PVC “renovation” frames, treating the carbonation and completely refurbishing the façades, which were made up of prefabricated concrete and fibro-cement elements.

The work is completed by refurbishing the balconies, replacing the roller blinds and tent covers, bringing the elevators up to standard, completely refurbishing the flat roofs of the building and parking lot, and modernizing the playground.

Various maintenance services were carried out, such as cleaning downpipes and ventilation ducts in kitchens and sanitary areas.

In addition, a complete trimming of the heating distribution system and the replacement of all radiator valves with thermostatic valves were carried out. Modernization of the boiler room was also undertaken.

Project

Modern image and quality materials. In addition to the technical renovation program, the involvement of a colorist brings a contemporary touch to the renovation of this building, respecting the original architectural design representative of its era.

The colorist focused on two aspects of the building: the strong mineral presence of the whole, and the entrance hall, defined by the red-painted elevators, a common thread of vertical movement, passageways and encounters.

On the facades, cool colors enhance the concrete architectural identity, punctuated in its horizontality by pastel blue.

This color is found on the floor and ceiling of the entrance hall. It brings openness, light and lightness, and provides a warm/cold contrast to the ruby red of the metal parts of the hall.

It’s worth noting the speed with which the work was carried out, completed in 10 months, while ensuring the comfort and safety of tenants in the apartments throughout.