Center for high quality environment in the Chartreuse Valley.
The rediscovery of the green open space along the Guiers Vif river, is an opportunity for a difficult yet challenging and exciting exercise in subtleness, in order to achieve two main objectives :
- « Notoriousness and publicity », the transformation of a former industrial site into an attractive center of activities for the cities of Les Echelles and Entre-Deux-Guiers
- The second challenge would be to reveal the unicity and magic of the site, by using a permanent dialogue between architecture and the environment, paths and plantations, vegetation and mineral, natural and artificial light, water and the riverbanks, in order to ultimately achieve a harmonious relationship between Man and Nature.
To do so, we determined a hierarchy of functions for each space to play its role fully :
- Urban connection plaza
- Visitor center and industrial information .
- Water activities and playground
- Natural preservation areas ( flora)
- Leisure and outdoor preservation /ecological activities
Each one of these elements has a specific part to play in order for the user to feel free to explore and discover a unique and memorable site very close to two lively cities of the Savoiefoothills.
The 14 ha base is located on a former insustrial site, and its articulating concept is « Water ».
The main center of attraction is a natural swimming area, using natural water filtration without any chemical treatment.
The visitor center will be located on the former plant site,(which will have been deconstructed) and rehabilitate the entrance to the site.
- Rehabilitation of some structures, to be used as a tourist office, visitor center and exhibit rooms, or video projection rooms.
- Creation of a market place
- Construction of grass pavement parkings
- Creation of an outdoor theater for concerts and other events , 800 seats.
Many other constructions and attractions will be implemented :
- Requalification of the Cotterg artificial lake
- Definition of a network of bycicle paths
- Pedestrian walks in the forested areas, meadows and along the riverbanks.
- observation points
- Lodge type housing on stilts
This area will also ultimately be home to a restaurant and a multipurpose community center.