Parallel 1

Situation

As with the previous phase, the difficulty of this second phase lay in the immediate proximity of the Lausanne bypass freeway, to which the new buildings back onto.

The solution adopted is a program called Live & Work, which, as in the first phase, combines two buildings with specific uses, housing and spaces for the development of professional activities of a craft, semi-industrial or private nature.

One of the buildings is dedicated to apartments.

The second, dedicated to professional activities, acts as a curtain of sound and visual protection for the housing.

Program

Group purchase. This second phase of Parallèle involved the construction of fifty-five apartments, fifty workshops and eleven shopping arcades.

However, whereas in the Parallèle II project the apartments were rented without any compulsory link between accommodation and additional space, the Parallèle I project differs in terms of conditions: in principle, apartment and studio are subject to a linked contract and are offered for ownership.

For new owners, this solution offers the advantage of limiting daily business trips to just a few dozen meters.

This proximity effectively helps to reduce the flow of traffic… as if to counterbalance the six motorway lanes that limit the complex to the north.

Realization

Filtering. As with the first stage, filtering the noise from the freeway was achieved by lining the expressway with a narrow, long, angled block of workshops.

The rear metal facades provide soundproofing, the corridors are grouped together to the north, and the workspaces only face south, ensuring that the premises remain quiet.

This commercial building retains its industrial character, with high ceilings and unfinished surfaces that can be fitted out to suit specific needs.

Opposite, the building reserved for housing is integrated into the existing neighborhood, with an opposite angle that creates a protected courtyard to the north. The fifty-five apartments feature a very open typology that favors living spaces.

South-facing, they enjoy maximum light and large balconies that open onto Lake Geneva and the Alps.

Between the two buildings, a preserved inner courtyard acts as a link between the buildings, connecting the worlds of work and family life.

With its commercial arcades and numerous business premises, it’s also a place for meetings and exchanges. The area is planted with trees of major species, enhanced by water features.