Switzerland is home to the city of Lausanne, a French-speaking region. Lausanne in turn is home to the hamlet of Chalet-à-Gobet, a ski and winter sport destination. The charming village sees quite a number of visitors flocking to get a taste of what the wintry weather has to offer. Back in 2007, a fire burnt down the hamlet’s historic stables, marring the look of this quaint town. In 2011, Lausanne and La Porte des Etoiles teamed up to organize a competition that would invite entries for the renovation of the ruined stables and the extension of existing buildings. Among the 33 entries, one walked away as the winner: JB Ferrari & Associates.
The architects have envisioned reinstating the existing buildings to their former glory, while reconstructing the ruined stables in a contemporary yet modest manner. The firm plans to not just restore old buildings, but to convert some of the existing structures into a planetarium and a science and technology center, which could attract tourists and further boost tourism in the state.
The planetarium will be designed such that it reflects its profile: a portal into the celestial realm. As such, it will be covered in a semi transparent façade made of perforated copper panels. The geometrically designed space will not only fuse certain factors that are indicative of space like meteorites, space crafts and constellations, but will do so in a manner that is bound to attract visitors and the curious.
The stables will incorporate a void of sorts to facilitate the entry of natural light by day and provide a glimpse of the starry skies by night. The planetarium, stables and extended buildings will be connected to each other through a public space that will also draw residents. This will turn the site into a hub of activity and promote interaction.
Via: Archdaily
