REDEVELOPMENT OF THE GENEVA CITY WATERFRONT (LA RADE)

Transcription

1 DESIGN IDEAS COMPETITION SINGLE STAGE OPEN PROCEDURE (SIA 142) REDEVELOPMENT OF THE GENEVA CITY WATERFRONT (LA RADE) 08 November 2016 Validation by the SIA

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 THE COMPETITION Preamble Organizer, Commissioning Authority and Secretariat Type of Competition and Procedure Regulatory Principles Entry requirements Registration Settlement of Disputes Official Language Composition and Role of the Jury Assessment Criteria Statement of Intent of the Commissioning Authority Prizes and Awards Competition Timeline Documents Provided to the Candidates Documents Requested from the Candidates Questions to the Jury and Jury Replies Presentation of Documents Identification and Anonymity Submission of Projects Ownership of Projects Exhibition and Publication of Projects BRIEF Purpose of the Competition Objective of the Commissioning Authority Location History Scope of the Competition Preliminary Study of Location and Structure of Lakeside Development, Canton of Geneva PROGRAM Program Expectations of the Commissioning Authority Past and Future Projects JURY APPROVAL 19

3 This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal value. 1. THE COMPETITION 1.01 PREAMBLE The City of Geneva is launching a design ideas competition to redevelop its existing waterfront, known as La Rade. The quays of La Rade lack coherence and clarity. The public spaces are saturated with many diverse objects that mar the view, deprive users of recreational areas, and prevent them from fully benefitting from a space that is unique and central to the town. La Rade should promote walking, recreational areas, conviviality, access to the water (including swimming), and sustainable mobility. Candidates are free to call into question existing layouts and concepts. However, the proposed projects must take into consideration current and future major development projects such as the pontoon running the length of the Jet d Eau jetty, the public Eaux-Vives beach and new port, and the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Mont-Blanc bridge. Proposals should take into account all the parameters involved in bringing a quality public space to life, such as design concept, architectural image, type of activities, events, public ownership, and attractiveness ORGANIZER, COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY AND SECRETARIAT The Organizer and Commissioning Authority is the City of Geneva. Organizer's address: Ville de Genève Département des constructions et de l'aménagement Unité logistique Mme Véronique Bertrand Rue de l'hôtel-de-ville Genève Suisse soumission.dca@ville-ge.ch 1.03 TYPE OF COMPETITION AND PROCEDURE This is a single stage open procedure design ideas competition, as defined in articles 3 and 6 of the SIA Standard 142 (published in 2009). 1

4 1.04 REGULARATORY PRINCIPLES Taking part in this competition implies agreement by the Organizer, the Jury and the candidates to abide by the terms of the SIA 142 Regulations of 2009 (can be ordered from of the present document, the replies to questions and requirements given below. The requirements below are provided for informational purposes to candidates of the design ideas competition: International requirements: Agreement on Government Procurement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) of 15 th April 1994 and annexes concerning Switzerland. National requirements: Federal law on the internal market of 6 th October 1995; The Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA): current norms, regulations, and recommendations. Cantonal requirements: available from: Intercantonal agreement on procurement contracts (L 6 05) of 25 th November 1994, modified 15 th March 2001; Geneva regulations on public procurement contracts for construction of 17 th December 2007 (L ); Law on diverse buildings and installations of 14 th April 1988 (L 5.05) Regulations under the Law on diverse buildings and installations (L ) of 27 th February 1978; La Rade site plan 28392G-610 of 25 th November Law on riverbank protection (L4 10) Mobility Multimodal Strategy for Geneva (Canton of Geneva) of 15 th May 2013, Sustainable transport master plan (Canton of Geneva) ilite_douce_26_ BDEF.pdf Communal requirements: Communal master plan 2020 of the City of Geneva of 16 th September Cycle network in the City of Geneva ENTRY REQUIREMENTS The competition is open to all architects/urban planners as well as students in their final year in the architecture schools mentioned below (Swiss Master s Degree or an equivalent foreign degree). Collaborations from other agents (landscape architects, visual artists, artists, sociologists, restaurant owners, specialists in public entertainment, etc.) are also welcome. 2

5 Participating architects must be practice architecture in Switzerland or a signatory State of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement that offers reciprocity to Swiss agents. Architects must meet one of the two following conditions: - have graduated, at the date of registration for the present competition, with a degree from the Institute of Architecture (Geneva University), the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (EPF in Lausanne and Zurich), the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, specialized schools such as HEC or ETS, or an equivalent foreign degree; - be registered, at the date of registration for the present competition, in a professional register: Architects' Register A or B of REG (Foundation of Swiss Register of Engineers, Architects and Technicians) Mandataires Professionnels Qualifiés (MPQ), or an equivalent register. Students in their final year of a Master's Degree must be attending one of the Swiss architecture schools mentioned above. These conditions must be met at the date of registration for the present competition. Architects with a foreign degree or who are registered in a foreign register or association must prove the equivalence with Swiss degrees, registers or associations by contacting the Federal Office of Training and Technology (OFFT): Tel kontaktstelle@bbt.admin.ch), or the REG: Tel info@reg.ch). Students in their final year of a Master's Degree must provide written proof from their architecture school confirming their status. Members of a group can only participate in one group, or they risk exclusion. Likewise, agencies with several branches may only present one project. In the case of a group of architects and other specialists, only one of the associates needs to meet the entry requirements. An employee may participate in the competition by presenting an agreement from his/her employer. No candidate should be in any situation as set out in article 12.2 of the SIA Standard 142 (see guideline of the SIA commission 142/143: directrices/conflits d intérêts), which will exclude him/her from the competition: a) Any person employed by the Commissioning Authority, a Jury member, or expert advisor consulting specialist mentioned in the competition program; b) Any person close to, relative of or in a dependant relationship or professional association with, a Jury member or expert advisor mentioned in the competition program; c) Any person who has taken part in the preparation of the competition REGISTRATION Candidates who meet the entry requirements and wish to register for this competition should send a registered letter to the Organizer containing: their professional address (or home address for students), telephone number and address, for architects: a copy of their degree or registration to a professional association, for foreign architects: proof of equivalence mentioned in the entry requirements (see 1.05), for students: written proof from the Swiss architecture school that they are in their final year of a Master's Degree. Candidates must register by submitting the requested proof document. In case of an incomplete or non-compliant proof document, the Organizer will grant an additional 10 days to provide the requested document. Any candidates who have not provided the requested documentation by the end of this extension will be excluded. The receipt date of the document is final. The Organizer will answer any inquiries about registration if necessary. 3

6 1.07 SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES If, during a competition subject to public procurement law and/or the federal law on interior markets, a dispute arises: a) the participating plaintive may appeal to the competent courts; b) members of the SIA 142/143 commission may act as experts from the date of notice of the competition to the date of the publication of results, or pending appeal to a competent court; c) the assessment missions are given personally by the respective parties or the competent court. (SIA Standard 142 of 2009, Art. 28.1) 1.08 OFFICIAL LANGUAGE The official languages for the entire competition (registrations, questions, and project content) will be French and English. This condition applies to all levels of the competition procedure. 4

7 1.09 COMPOSITION AND ROLE OF THE JURY The Jury has been appointed by the Commissioning Authority and is made up of the following people: President: Mr Patrick Devanthéry Architect, Geneva Members: Ms Isabelle Charollais Director, Department of Town Planning, City of Geneva Ms Christelle Pally Mr Francesco Della Casa Mr Alexandre Wisard Mr François de Marignac Mr François Chaslin Ms Susannah Drake Mr Jan Ammundsen, Mr David Zahle Mr Elmar Lederberger Ms Pia Durisch Ms Marie-Claude Bétrix Mr Jean-Pierre Stefani Project Manager, Department of Urban Environment and Safety, City of Geneva Department of Urban Planning, Housing and Energy, Canton of Geneva (DALE) Divisional Director, Lake, Renaturalization, Streams and Fishing, Executive Water Board (DGEau) Department of Environment, Transport and Agriculture, Canton of Geneva Architect, Geneva Architect, Architecture Critic, Paris Architect, New York Architect, Copenhagen Architect, Copenhagen Historian and Economist, Former Mayor of the City of Zurich Architect, Lugano Architect, Zurich Architect, Geneva Alternates: Mr Thomas Lebedinsky Deputy Director, Department of Urban Environment and Safety, City of Geneva Ms Bénédicte Montant Mr Pierre Bonnet Architect, Geneva Architect, Geneva Experts-Specialists: Mr Marcos Weil Urban Planner Mr Rafael Schütz Geographer and Urban Planner The list of Experts-Specialists is not exhaustive. According to the proposals, the Organizer and/or the Jury reserve the right to add to it. 5

8 1.10 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Entries will be judged based on the following criteria (not in order of priority): Urban planning, architectural and landscaping (vegetation) quality of the visual master plan concept Coherence of the visual master plan concept Innovative character of the ideas and proposals to bring the site to life Potential to promote water access and swimming Potential to promote social practices and conviviality Relevance and technical feasibility of the proposed public space project Comprehension of the location, its history and relationship to the existing urban fabric Consideration of recent or future developments (the pontoon running along the Jet d Eau jetty, the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Mont-Blanc bridge, as well as the Eaux-Vives public beach and the new Eaux-Vives public port) within or in closer proximity to the boundary of the competition Integration of user needs, public services, and facilities STATEMENT OF INTENT OF THE COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY The City of Geneva would like to receive high quality projects for the redevelopment of La Rade. The proposals that come from this design ideas competition will be presented to the public as early as April/May 2017, during fringe events organized in parallel with the competition, including exhibitions. The City of Geneva expects the following elements from candidates: Elaboration of a visual master plan for the entire area of La Rade and a description of the major options proposed, Proposition of an initial development project of the public space or on the lake which emblemises the visual master plan concept, Development of images symbolizing the proposition. Proposals should meet the expectations of the Commissioning Authority. The Executive Board will use this design ideas competition to present the submissions to the public and generate a debate with the population and the concerned authorities. At a later stage, the Executive Board will study one or more winning ideas from this competition and will suggest budget funds to the City Council for project competitions. A wide consultation process with the interested parties will take place before any suggestion for budget funds PRIZES AND AWARDS The Jury has an overall sum of CHF 250,000 (V.A.T. not included) to award approximately 5 prizes, or eventual distinctions, within the limits set by Article 17.3 of the SIA Standard 142 of This total amount was calculated according to the June 2010 SIA guideline on determining the overall sum of prizes, published by the SIA commission for architecture and engineering competitions. 6

9 1.13 COMPETITION TIMELINE Publication on the Internet site and in the official gazette of the Canton of Geneva 8 th November 2016 Competition registration opens 8 th November 2016 Questions up to 9 th December 2016 Jury replies from 20 th December 2016 Submission of projects 10 th March2017 Jury deliberation 22 nd, 23 rd and 24 th March 2017 Projects exhibited (inside and at the quays) April/May DOCUMENTS PROVIDED TO CANDIDATES The present competition program and all documents ( to ) will be available online from 8 th November 2016 on the website The present competition program (french et english) Board 1 (compulsory): urban planning, architectural and landscaping visual master plan concept, to be completed by the candidate, in PDF and DWG format Scope of the competition 1:7, Site plan of La Rade in DWG format Transformation of La Rade over the 19 th and 20 th centuries, extracts from "La Genève sur l eau" published by la Société d Histoire de l Art en Suisse (publishers: Wiese) Chronology of the construction of the quays, City of Geneva, conservation of architectural heritage (CPA) Plan of La Rade's main activities 1:7,500, City of Geneva SITG plans, extract 1:10,000 - land plots: cantonal and communal public domains - easements: surfaces and views - heritage: listed buildings and objects, registered buildings Preliminary study of location and structure of lakeside developments, Canton of Geneva and annexes (including annex 7 see section 2.06) Extracts from "Plan directeur communal 2020" (local authority master plan) Summary outline and plan of La Rade and the lake banks, City of Geneva Master plan of pedestrian walkways, City of Geneva Visual master plan of cycle network, City of Geneva Information: uses and functions 7

10 Passerelle de la Paix: foot and cycle bridge project, competition winner in PDF and DWG formats Project for the Eaux-Vives beach in PDF and DWG formats Jet d Eau jetty in PDF and DWG formats EPFL study: La Genève hydrophile (the relationship between Geneva and its lake) EPFL study: Temenos-Crise identitaire de la Rade (La Rade as an emblematic place, and its problematic identity) Potential improvements of La Rade Lakeside developments: vision of the revitalised shores Lakeside developments: visual master plan The identification sheet Others: Aerial photos of La Rade are available on the website: DOCUMENTS REQUESTED FROM CANDIDATES Candidates should send in either 2 and no more than 3 A0-format boards, presented vertically, containing the following information: Board 1 Visual Master plan, scale: 1/4,000 (see document ) Outline plan indicating the general development concept of the public spaces and proposed activities. The board should indicate the broad guidelines and the nature of the activities, location, and amplitude. Board 2 Specific Project Plan, scale: free Development of the candidate's proposed emblematic project, reference image, atmosphere, perspective, and explanation. Board 3 optional, scale: free This board is at the discretion of the candidate to explain his/her theme and vision of the redevelopment of the Geneva City La Rade and proposed events, etc. Candidates are also requested to supply 3 examples reduced in A3 recto of the documents. A sealed envelope identified with the words Design Ideas Competition for the Redevelopment of the Geneva City Waterfront (La Rade), along with the typewritten slogan of the candidate, containing: - The identification sheet ( ) duly completed with the names of the candidate(s), dated and signed; - A CD or USB key showing the slogan and containing PDF files of the submission project boards. Award winners will be asked to produce additional media, in agreed formats with the Commissioning authority, for the purposes of fringe events organized after the competition. The costs will be borne by the Commissioning authority. By participating in the competition, candidates agree to produce these additional media. 8

11 1.16 QUESTIONS TO THE JURY AND JURY REPLIES Questions related to the brief should be submitted anonymously by first class mail to the competition secretariat. The Organizer must be in possession of these questions before 9 th December Only questions addressed in this manner will received a response. All jury replies will be available on the website from 16 th December PRESENTATION OF DOCUMENTS The submission should be comprised of 2, or 3 maximum, A0-format boards. A margin of 2 cm at the top and bottom should be left clear and free of all annotations. The candidate's slogan, composed of a minimum of 7 (and a maximum of 13) letters or figures, should be placed in the top right corner. The Jury insists that all documents should be clear and intelligible. Candidates are free to use colour. Candidates should take into consideration the fact that, after being judged, the competition documents will be exhibited to the general public to generate discussion. Therefore they should be didactic and comprehensible. The text should be in either French or English. Indication of contour lines and elevations should be noted on the plans and sections if needed. No reports or supporting documents other than those listed will be allowed IDENTIFICATION AND ANONYMITY The competition is anonymous. The submission documents from candidates should not carry any indication making identification possible. Failure to observe this requirement will result in exclusion. All documents, as well as packaging, will include the following words: DESIGN IDEAS COMPETITION FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE GENEVA CITY WATERFRONT (LA RADE) and the candidate's typewritten SLOGAN SUBMISSION OF PROJECTS The submissions must be received by the competition Organizer no later than 5:00 pm, 10 th March 2017, and should be sent to the following address: Salle Forum Faubourg Rue des Terreaux-du-Temple Genève Suisse Tel: Opening times of the Salle Forum Faubourg : 8h-12h / 14h-17h Printed documents may be rolled in a tube. It is not necessary to attach the sheets to rigid supports. 9

12 The projects may be sent through the post. If this is the case, the Organizer would like to draw candidates' attention to the fact that they must bear the consequences of a possible delay in delivery. Any project that is received after the deadline of 5:00 pm, 10 th March 2017 will be strictly refused without recourse from the candidate OWNERSHIP OF PROJECTS The copyright of the projects remains the property of the candidates. Documents related to winning or mentioned proposals will become the property of the Commissioning Authority (Article 26.1 of the SIA Standard 142). Documents related to the other projects may be reclaimed by the authors after they have been exhibited to the general public (pick up dates and location will be indicated at a later date). No compensation claim will be made in case of accidental or malicious damage to the documents related to a project EXHIBITION AND PUBLICATION OF PROJECTS After deliberations, an exhibition of all the projects accepted for judgement will be organized for a minimum of ten working days. This exhibition will be at the address where the submissions were sent. The dates of these exhibitions will be communicated to candidates and the press. The name of each competitor will appear next to his/her project. The Commissioning Authority reserves the right to publish the projects and results of the competition in the press and professional reviews of its choice indicating the names of the authors. This applies for all projects submitted and accepted for judgement by the Jury. It also reserves the right to present projects at a public exhibition in May 2017, as well as during events organized as part of this design ideas competition. 10

13 2. BRIEF 2.01 PURPOSE OF THE COMPETITION The design ideas competition will generate alternative, innovative and different visions of developments and activities for Geneva s La Rade, quays, and lake access areas. The projects should harmoniously integrate recent or future development projects such as the Jet d Eau jetty, the Mont-Blanc bridge pedestrian walkway, and the public Eaux-Vives beach and port OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY With this competition, the Commissioning Authority would like to encourage discussions and stimulate reflection on the development of La Rade and its quays. Secondly, the design ideas competition will lead the authorities of the City of Geneva to prepare a visual master plan for the redevelopment of the waterfront, and to organize an extensive consultation with all the concerned stakeholders LOCATION Lake Leman lies on the course of the Rhône, which passes through it from east to west. Its shores are shared by Switzerland and France. Upstream from Geneva, the lake receives water from the Valaisian Rhône and other tributaries. Geneva s La Rade is located where the waters flow back into the Rhône. The water flow coming from Lake Leman into the Rhône is regulated by the Seujet Dam located in Geneva. Its maximum surface level from June to December is around m and its minimum surface level from March to April is around m. The Arve, a tributary of the Rhône, flows into the latter about 1 km downstream. Lake Leman is a natural lake created by tectonic folding and glacial erosion. Its surface area is around 600 m 2 and its maximum depth is around 300 m. The lake s water provides drinking water for 2/3 of Geneva s inhabitants and is used as a source of energy. "Geneva's La Rade " SITG map 11

14 2.04 HISTORY La Rade is the most emblematic site in Geneva. It is one of our territory s strongest identifiers and a scenic feature unique to Geneva. The construction of La Rade has reflected the evolution of the capital City of Geneva throughout the centuries. At the end of the Ancien Régime, the City of Geneva had neither actual quays nor waterfront promenades to stroll along. Most banks were prone to flooding and high waters sometimes engulfed the marketplaces in the Basse Ville (lower town). The shores of the lake and the Rhône were still uncultivated with haphazard outlines. At the time, fortifications surrounded the city. At the heart of the city, Bel-Air Square served as a defence for the city by the Rhône, unlike the other squares that had more obvious port-related potential. Financed by noble residents, chestnut trees, the tree of preference in the early 18 th century, were planted in the Fusterie and Longemalle Squares in the first half of the century. The desire to transform these spaces into small walkways was accompanied by the installation of modest street furniture. But it was not until the 19 th century that the city clearly redefined its City-Lake connection and designed La Rade as it is known today. The Restoration period and annexation of Geneva to the Confederation saw the city renovated under the direction of cantonal engineer Guillaume-Henri Dufour. On 13 th March 1829, the draft law approving the development of an initial harbour was passed and construction started right away. The two shores were lined with promenades equipped with sewer mains and built by backfilling along the lake. A new district of buildings was erected, fronted by a luxury hotel on the right bank s Quai des Bergues. At the same time, the refurbishment of the facades on the left bank (Quai Général Guisan) was carried out in the same style as the development on the Quai des Bergues. This approach redefined the boundaries of the lake. In the 1820s, growing public opinion demanded that the Île des Barques should be dedicated to Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This former bastion and serendipitous garden was also the ideal place to admire the new Geneva that sat behind its brand new quays. The park, with its remarkable trees, contrasted with the stone severity of the quays, the views of which were protected by the commitment not to plant trees or construct any building. The demolition of the city s ring of fortifications started in 1848 when the ancient city expanded onto the Fazyste fortifications land. The city experienced a considerable urban restructuring. Construction started in the 1850s with the Square du Mont-Blanc and its gardens on the right bank, and the extension of the Grand Quai accompanied by a string of opulent buildings on the left bank. The city voted on a special loan in 1854 to enable the development of the promenade along the lake (Jardin du Lac or Jardin Anglais and Quai Gustave Ador). The construction of the Mont-Blanc bridge was completed in The Jardin Anglais was enlarged in 1863 to its present size. A few years later, the Grand Council ratified the extension of the Quai du Léman (Quai Wilson) up to the Parc Mon-Repos. 12

15 In 1886, a Geneva company started pumping and distributing pressurized water for craftsmen s machines. In the evening, as demand decreased and in order to reduce the pressure in the pipework, an orifice was placed at the end of the Coulouvrenière pumping station, which produced a vertical jet of water several metres high. In 1891, the City of Geneva installed the Jet d Eau in La Rade. The 1896 Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva was the perfect opportunity to make a good impression on visitors. The project that Joseph Marschall presented in 1894 to enhance the quays with rotundas and lamps was approved. Then, in 1912, architects Olivet and Camoletti won the competition to design the promenade and a park along the lake between the Jardin Anglais and the Port Noir. Their plan proposed straight quay-promenades lined with plants and trees. Over time, the narrow and utilitarian quays built for defensive purposes were replaced by much wider quays that were lined with plane trees and walkways with grassy strips embellished with rotundas and lamps. In the early 20 th century, the city extended over a broad area and so offered access to large parks for residents: - La Grange: bequeathed by William Favre (1918) - Eaux-Vives: ownership acquired through a merger (1932) - Perle-du-Lac: exchange with the League of Nations (1929) - Barton: bequeathed to the Confederation; park maintenance entrusted to the City (1937). The Bains des Pâquis were built on the right bank in These additional developments allowed the walkways of the quays to be prolonged around La Rade. Flood control of the lake put Geneva in direct contact with neighbouring regions upstream of the lake. The touristic attraction of the Jet d Eau, which has been illuminated since 1930, became one of the main symbols of Geneva and La Rade. 13

16 Right bank: "superposition of situation in 1845 / present situation" 14

17 Left bank: "superposition of situation in 1845 / present situation" extract from La rade de Genève comme paysage : la construction d un site 2006, by Leïla El-Wakil extract from La Genève sur l eau, 1997, Société d Art et d Histoire du canton de Genève I, directed by Ph.Broillet 15

18 Jetée du Jet d'eau THE GENEVA CITY WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT DESIGN IDEAS COMPETITION 2.05 SCOPE OF THE COMPETITION Scope of the design ideas competition for the visual master plan concept The scope of the competition covers the quays and promenades of La Rade from the Mont Blanc bridge to the boundary of the future Eaux-Vives public beach on the left bank, and to the Perle du Lac park on the right bank. In their reflection, candidates must take into account completed projects like the new jetty to access the Jet d'eau or projects under development like the Eaux-Vives beach and new public port and the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Mont Blanc bridge (document ). Candidates are free to make proposals for an expanded scope on Board 1, provided to candidates as part of the submission ( ). Proposals must be consistent without the elements proposed in the expanded scope. Périmètre d'intervention Projet Plage/Port des Eaux-vives Projet Passerelle piétonne du Mont-Blanc Scope of intervention 2.06 PRELIMINARY STUDY OF LOCATION AND STRUCTURE OF LAKESIDE DEVELOPMENT, CANTON OF GENEVA This file (attached ) was completed on 15 th July 2014, and could be very interesting to consult as the study led by the cantonal administration had the following objectives: Determining the needs for public access to the Lake, mooring areas and lakeside professional activities. Determining which locations could accommodate the following criteria: Meet needs for public access to the lake and swimming areas (lake access section and annex 7 Maps of potential water access sites around La Rade) Make short-term mooring available for pleasure boats in order to meet the demand, in qualitative and quantitative terms, as well as a sufficient amount of practical water access points for private boats (professional lake activities section). Improve the environmental and biological quality of the lakeshores and the water following a renaturalization strategy throughout the canton (renaturalization section). Determining a programmatic scenario To conclude, this was a preliminary study of development to evaluate programs and not projects. It was therefore meant to highlight a global vision of the Rade and the Petit Lac s potential layouts, and to start considering the structure of future development in connection with the goals that have been set. 16

19 3 PROGRAM 3.01 PROGRAM Program features This design ideas competition allows candidates great freedom in their proposals, nevertheless they must adhere to the assessment criteria set out in 1.10, and propose relevant solutions to the following general observations and to the expectations of the Commissioning Authority. General observations La Rade is located in the centre of the City of Geneva and in between the two lakeshores. Today it combines a wide range of usages and users (see section ). Given the many uses and activities on the waterfront, such as pleasure boats, refreshment stands, CGN traffic, police posts, fishing, boats, rental boats, boatyards, swimming areas, walking, etc., the quays lack consistency and clarity. The banks of the lake are in a chaotic state with a jumble of programs and activities that saturate the public space. Boats, boatyards, fishing huts, lakeside companies, marinas, and water sport centres are dotted about incoherently. This lack of coherence can also be found on the lake, where swimmers and motorized water sports often share the same areas, potentially creating dangerous situations. The congestion linked to the uses and activities on La Rade limits public lake access and the number of areas available for relaxation and recreation. Compared to other Swiss cities, Geneva offers few swimming areas. In peak periods, those wanting to swim in the lake have little choice but to go to the Bains des Pâquis or Genève Plage, which are often full, or try other remaining areas like the rocks or cramped strips of lawn. Unfortunately, the ripraps (low wall, empty space, ripraps, then water) create a physical and spatial limit, which makes access to the lake difficult. The two-level quays reinforce this impression, and the congestion also blocks the view. The consequence of this congestion is that the waterfront is no longer a main destination, except during good swimming weather. With the promenades elevated above the traders quays below, the quays are a reminder of the history of the city at the beginning of the last century, but the materials used are ill assorted and outdated, and do not adequately reflect the influence of an international city like Geneva. La Rade is bisected daily by heavy traffic. The roads bordering the quays create an artificial rupture between the neighbourhoods and the lake, and the resulting noise hampers the relaxed atmosphere sought by users. It is difficult, if not impossible in some places, to practice sustainable transport around the lake because of the congestion. Sustainable transport paths are not continuous (e.g. no U cycle paths in both directions). The city's neighbourhoods near the lake, such as the Pâquis, Rues Basses, the Old Town, and Eaux-Vives, are not sufficiently orientated towards the lake. There is no impression of being close to one of the biggest lakes in Europe while walking around them. The lake, as well as the green spaces, should create a feeling of freedom, escape, nature and unobstructed view, yet the feeling is often the opposite when you live, work, or walk around these neighbourhoods. 17

20 3.02 EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY The Commissioning Authority expects that candidates visual master plan concepts will address the urban planning, architectural, and landscaping aspects of the site so as to enhance the view. In particular, proposals may include: - access to water to promote swimming and relaxation - a concept for entertainment and catering to replace the existing ice cream and souvenir pavilions - strategic and architectural suggestions for changing the site, taking into account its history. The design ideas competition allows great freedom for the candidates. Its aim is to enable the Commissioning Authority to fuel fruitful debate on the development of the site RECENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS Redevelopment efforts were initiated by the City of Geneva a few years ago with the recovery of part of the lower quays for recreational uses. Parking areas on the Pâquis trading quays were removed so that pavilions on the elevated quays could be set up near the water. Onlookers regained a view of the lake and could take advantage of the banks of the water and escape the noise of traffic. Despite the opening of a new pontoon along the Jet d Eau jetty (document ) that promotes access to this emblematic site in Geneva, the Eaux-Vives lower quay is still quite congested in certain places as the area is used by many professional and private lakeshore activities, whilst the elevated promenade is flanked by major roads. Congestion on the lower Eaux-Vives quays due to activities and structures will partially disappear to make way for the Eaux-Vives beach and public port project (document 1.14,15), initiated by the Canton of Geneva, in coordination with the City of Geneva. The partial freeing up of the quays when the trading activities are moved to the new port will make walking easier and allow the quays to be adapted accordingly. Through investments for the future cantonal project on the Vengeron site, more activities are set to be moved, allowing for the waterfront to be optimized for access to the water, leisure activities and conviviality. Existing ice cream pavilions will come to the end of their useful life in The City of Geneva is considering replacing them. The expected construction of a pedestrian bridge next to the Mont-Blanc bridge (document ), which will allow cyclists to use the existing walkway on the north side of the bridge, and the developments for the Quai du Mont-Blanc, should promote sustainable transport around La Rade. A study is currently underway investigating the issue of navigability, particularly by CGN traffic, as a result of the creation of this pedestrian bridge. Finally, it is possible that the tramway will use the Mont-Blanc bridge, which would be an opportunity to redevelop and visually enhance the bridge. 18

21 4 JURY APPROVAL President: Mr Patrick Devanthéry Members: Ms Isabelle Charollais Ms Christelle Pally Mr Francesco Della Casa Mr Alexandre Wisard Mr François de Marignac Mr François Chaslin Ms Susannah Drake Mr Jan Ammundsen Mr David Zahle Mr Elmar Lederberger Ms Pia Durisch Ms Marie-Claude Bétrix Mr Jean-Pierre Stefani Alternates: Mr Thomas Lebedinsky Ms Bénédicte Montant Mr Pierre Bonnet The Commission for competitions and parallel study appointments has examined the program. It abides by the terms of the SIA 142 Regulations of The Organizing Authority The City of Geneva The original document is available from the Organizer. 19