Marc-J.

Saugey, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953-1957, detailed view of the façade from the balcony, with its aluminium brise-soleils and opaque panels and the
pre-fabricated concrete parapets. © G. Klemm, n.d., Archives IAUG, Fonds Marc-Joseph Saugey, cote 205.03.012.
 ESSAYS

The Miremont-le-Crêt:
Preserving a Geneva Post-War Modern Icon

BY PATRÍCIA VENDRELL DUARTE

The collective apartment building, Miremont-le-Crêt, in Geneva is the product of the inventiveness of the local architect
Marc Joseph Saugey (1908–1971), who planned and built it between 1953 and 1957. Listed as a Cantonal monu-
ment in 2002, it is considered today an original and unique example, far beyond the context of Geneva.1 Recently, it has
become the object of a large rehabilitation project, led by the Geneva-based architecture office, Meier+associés. Mainly
focused on the building's envelope, the project also includes several technical improvements of some of its other compo-
nents; all of them introduced with respect to Saugey's spirit and the building's existing substance.

Geneva in the post-War and the architect Saugey avenue de Miremont and avenue de Calas. They were designed
During its recent history, Geneva has known several phases to integrate with the surroundings of the building and,

docomomo 54 – 2016/1
of economic and demographic growth; however the therefore, breezeways superimposed on the sidewalks lead
apogee of its development only occurred after the WWII2, the residents to the entrance halls (Miremont serving units A,
with the establishment of the UN European headquarters, B, C, and Calas, the D, E).
in 1946.3 The city extended into its peripheral communes The two halls are open towards the garden that was
and gradually acquired the form of a metropolitan area4, conceived as an interior street, serving as a passage between
demanding its “urban restructuring (…) and the creation of both adjacent roads. With completely glazed façades, they
new dwellings, services and facilities”5. The architect Marc allow a permanent contact between the building and its
Joseph Saugey was one of the notable personalities who “exterior elements, natural or built”11 - the circles and stripes
participated in these transformations. of vegetation, the water basin and the mural paintings from
Born in 1908 in Vésenaz, a village on the shore of Lake Ge- Louis Bongard and Edouard Nierlé.
neva6, Saugey completed his academic education in Geneva, For the upper floors, Saugey proposed a plan type of
then starting an important collaboration with Louis Vincent, four non-traverse apartments per vertical stairwell, each
René Schwertz and Henri Lesemann, who together formed of them with a private triangular balcony. The whole

Essays
the Atelier d’Architectes (1933–1940). In 1940, he opened his building totals 139 single-level apartments, distributed
own architecture office, building his most important projects over seven floors on the Miremont side and 6 floors (plus an
between 1950 and 1958 — the Hôtel du Rhône (1947–1950), attic) on the Calas side.
the Malagnou-Parc (1948–1952), the Mont-Blanc Center The organization of the plan, according to a frame of 60°,
(1951–1954), the cinema Le Paris (1955–1957), the Terreaux- allows each apartment to benefit from a double exposure
Cornavin (1951–1955), the Miremont-le-Crêt (1953–1957) — East and West12 — as well as a multiplicity of points of
and the Gare-Centre (1954–1957)7. Dying in 1971, Saugey view towards the exterior, granting these “collective housing
managed to leave his mark on Geneva, with his avant-garde cellules, (…) the qualities of a villa”13. However, the funda-
buildings of the 1950s, as well as “distinguishing himself, by mental element for the creation of this “villa” is the triangular
his structural researches and new techniques”8, and by his balcony “around which a plan of great spatial fluidity is
active engagement in the urban-planning of the city. articulated”14. In addition, the diagonal orientation of the
plan, together with the brise-soleils, leads to the preservation
The Miremont-le-Crêt: of privacy between the apartments and the nearby buildings.
Saugey's “l'espace habitable“9 Apart from the use of a punctual load-bearing system, Sau-
The Miremont-le-Crêt apartment building, located in the gey opted for the rationalisation of the second-fix elements15,
Geneva district of Champel10, is the result of the creative which was beautifully mastered in Miremont-le-Crêt, with the
inventiveness of Saugey and was conceived from 1953, in employment of a set of different materials that highlight the
close collaboration with the engineer Pierre Froidevaux and spatial qualities of the building — the prefabricated concrete
the artists Edouard Nierlé (1916–2006) and Louis Bongard, panels covering the façade's opaque parapets, the translucent
being built between 1956 and 1957. wired glass parapets, the blue pine window frames, their bot-
The building's existing pedestrian access points are tom fiber cement panels, and the aluminum brise-soleils and
located on both sides of the volume, on the nearby streets: panels overlaying the façades's opaque sections.

17
 01 Marc Joseph Saugey, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957. 02 Meier+associés architectes, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 2011–2014.
Type-plan of the apartments. © Atelier Oleg Calame. Axonometric view of the rehabilitation project for Miremont-le-Crêt‘s façade.
Northwest façade. Not to scale. © Patrícia Vendrell Duarte, 2014.
docomomo 54 – 2016/1

In Geneva, “the new housing of the fifties was conceived a Cantonal monument. The heritage classification statute
fundamentally in terms of functional and technical rational- issued by the State of Geneva contemplates, besides its
ization (…) often to the detriment of research linked to the exterior envelope, “the exterior spaces of the site, as well as
quality of space”16: Consequently, the city owes to Saugey the common areas on the ground floor of the buildings, (…),
its most remarkable typological innovations, with Miremont- the stairwell enclosures, as common parts [of the buildings],
le-Crêt being one of its finest examples17. The replacement and the original typology of the apartments”24.
of “single-function rooms with a single fluid and continuous Since the Miremont-le-Crêt apartment building had never
space”18, turned to the maximum sunshine, “offered him the experienced any extensive rehabilitation intervention,
possibility of exploring [beautifully] the theme of space”19 in many of its materials were starting to show signs of being
a housing program. worn or obsolete, and so, in 2010, the decision was made to
Essays

Therefore, Miremont-le-Crêt is Saugey's invention of an restore the building. The project was awarded to the archi-
immeuble-villa, where “each apartment plays the role of an tecture office Meier+associés, and developed in collaboration
individual villa”20, and “the plastic effect of the ensemble (…) with the Atelier Oleg Calame, between 2011 and 2014. Its
breaks with the monotony of parallel blocks of buildings”21. program comprised primarily the renovation of its façades,
including, however, the introduction of other technical
The Miremont-le-Crêt: improvements and restoration works inside and outside the
preserving a post-War Modern Geneva Icon entrance halls.
The first step towards the rehabilitation of Miremont-le-Crêt It is however important to refer that the main reference
was taken by the Institut d’Architecture de l’Université de Genève for the development of this rehabilitation project was the
(IAUG) [Geneva University Architecture Institute], that in pilot study developed for the Cité du Lignon25, in Geneva, be-
1998 wrote an appeal to the Direction du Patrimoine et des Sites tween 2008 and 2011, by the TSAM — Laboratoire des Tech-
[Directorate of Patrimony and its Sites]22 requesting the open- niques et de la Sauvegarde de l’Architecture Moderne [Technical
ing of a heritage classification process for Miremont-le-Crêt, Laboratory for the Conservation of Modern Architecture]
motivated by some concerns arising from the execution of of the École Polythechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. The research
minor alteration works in the building. carried for the rehabilitation of the building envelopes of
Along with this process, a detailed study on Miremont-le- the housing precinct was unparalleled, being innovative in
Crêt's condition and the definition of the necessary works in terms of the methods applied, in the considered thought on
the framework of future rehabilitation was given as a commis- the restoration of buildings from the 1950s and 60s, and in
sion to the architecture office of Devanthéry & Lamunière23 — terms of rehabilitation techniques used, such as keeping the
which became an essential guideline for the restoration works. original window frames by inserting performance glazing,
On February 20 th 2002, by a decree of the Council of and in the use of efficient insulation materials such as aero-
State, the Miremon-le-Crêt apartment building was declared gel. All these techniques were used in Miremon-le-Crêt— as

18
03 Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957 | 2011–2014. Axonometric sections 04 Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957 | 2011–2014, axonometric sections of
of the balconies' glazed walls and their opaque parapets. Left: original the façades'opaque walls. Left: original project; Right: rehabilitation intervention.
project; Right: rehabilitation intervention. Scale 1:15. [01 fixed window frame Scale 1:15. [01 corrugated aluminium sheet (2mm); 02 wooden fibre board
in pine wood; 02 single glazing; 03 wood block board (8mm); 04 mineral (30mm); 03 plaster+paint (10mm); 04 protecting drip in aluminium (2,5mm);
wool insulation board (15mm); 05 “Eternit” fibre cement panel (10mm) with 05 cork (20mm); 06 plaster+paint (10mm); 07 reinforced concrete slab; 08
asbestos; 06 concrete screed (+tiled flooring added by the owners in many of prefabricated concrete panel (80mm); 09 fixing and protecting element in
the apartments); 07 reinforced concrete slab; 08 “Sofraver” heat mirror glazing aluminium (1,5mm); 10 aerogel (20mm); 11fixing element in aluminium (1,5mm)].

docomomo 54 – 2016/1
t h e rm (24mm); 09 float glass (4mm); 10 PVC film; 11 aerogel (60mm); 12 © Patrícia Vendrell Duarte, 2014.
reinforcing elements in oak wood; 13 “Eternit” fibre cement panel (10mm) without
asbestos; 14 insulating coating resin].© Patrícia Vendrell Duarte, 2014.

05 Marc Joseph Saugey, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957. View of the 06 Marc Joseph Saugey, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957. View of the
housing building from the avenue de Miremont. © Alain Grandchamp, n.d., triangular balcony from the bedroom. © G. Klemm, n.d., Archives i au g ,
Christoph Schmidt-Ginskey, “Miremont-le-Crêt 1953–1957. L'espace habitable”, Fonds Marc Joseph Saugey, cote 205.03.011.
Faces, Journal d’Architectures, nº. 21, Dossier: Marc Joseph Saugey, Genève,
e au g , 1991, 53.

Essays

07 Marc Joseph Saugey, Miremont-le-Crêt, Geneva, 1953–1957. View of the

exterior garden and pedestrian passage from Miremont's entrance hall. On the
left Louis Bongard's mural painting. © G. Klemm, n.d., Archives i au g , Fonds
Marc Joseph Saugey, cote 205.03.009.

19
 described below — a fact which proves the importance of system of heat radiation — a false-ceiling, made of perfo-
this research and its contribution to the understanding that rated steel sheets that radiate the heat from hot water pipes
the preservation of building complexes from this period can located above31, large amounts of heat were lost through
be sustainable. their single-glazed façades, making it difficult to cope with
Miremon-le-Crêt's rehabilitation intervention was essen- the required energy standards. Therefore, a choice had to be
tially linked to the enhancement of its inhabitants' comfort, made between keeping the heating system and the original
requiring the building's exterior envelope to be submitted single glazing.
to a significant thermal improvement. The architects' main Taking into account not only the rehabilitation principles
goal was to reduce the envelope's original thermal losses, but also considering the co-owners' opinion and the econom-
from 580 MJ/[Link] to 200 MJ/m2.year26 — a special limit ics of the alternatives, the decision taken was to keep the
of heat loss accorded by the responsible authorities (since hall's glazing façade. Therefore, to allow the thermal insula-
obtaining a heat loss complying with the SIA standard tion of the upper floors, an insulation layer was place on the
380/1 27 — 120 MJ/[Link] — would not allow a respect- hall's ceiling, hidden by the original steel panels, although no
ful intervention on the particular materiality and image of longer fulfilling their original function.
the existing building). However, this target was not only Some renovation works were also planned to other parts
achieved but significantly surpassed, being now set at 160 of the building at the request of the co-owners, although
MJ/m2.year28, rather close to the values imposed by the the works had no influence on the building's heat balance.
regulations in force in Geneva, especially considering the Therefore, the building's piping system was totally refur-
building's date of construction and the fact that its envelope bished. Thus, apart from the substitution of both water-
is mainly composed of glazed façades and thermal bridges supplying pipes and drain pipes, inside the apartments, the
like the numerous balconies. rehabilitation project foresaw the creation of separated
In order to achieve such values, the rehabilitation solu- vertical drain pipes for the kitchen's wastewater and the
tions proposed by the architects had to be primarily fo- roof's stormwater, as demanded by the present legislation of
docomomo 54 – 2016/1

cused on the most critical elements of the building, in terms the Canton of Geneva32. In addition, the ventilation system,
of thermal performance, which included Miremon-le-Crêt's which contained asbestos, was also remodelled.
façades, and more particularly its glazing surfaces. This chal- At the same time, a number of changes with the aim of
lenge was, however, made bigger by the associated need to returning the building to its original appearance were also
keep the appearance and substance of the building as close carried out. On the façades, those included the treatment of
to the original as possible. Therefore, instead of attempting the carbonation on the prefabricated concrete panels, that
to renovate, in detail, all the elements of Miremon-le-Crêt's presented several cracks and fragments, and on the balcony
façades, they rather decided to operate only in the most slabs, where the carbonation of concrete was also caus-
delicate ones, in a very efficient way. ing the spalling of their edges.33 The aluminum brise-soleils,
This was achieved by replacing the building's single panels, and respective fixings were cleaned and restored,
glazing by a Heat Mirror glazing, although maintaining the with most of the fixings being replaced, as most of the
original pine window frames, which had to be reinforced original were corroded. Also the balcony floor coverings
in order to cater for the new glazing; by switching the win- were renovated, since their tiled flooring contained asbes-
Essays

dows' opaque parapets insulation with a better performing tos. Thus, to avoid future infiltrations an insulating coating
solution — aerogel — as well as, substituting their exterior resin was applied to the balcony floors. In addition, some
fiber cement boards with new ones — free of asbestos; and other rehabilitation works were conducted on the ground
by adding an insulation layer — also of aerogel — to the floor, both inside and outside the entrance halls. Apart from
aluminium walls and gable-end façade. the renovation of the interior and exterior flooring, the
However, in order to preserve the building's original walls were repainted in their original colours — following
fabric, both the prefabricated concrete parapets and the chromatic analysis to discover their previous colours. The
wired glass ones, were not subject to any significant thermal covered interior and exterior circles and bands of vegeta-
improvement. The wired glass parapets were replaced by tion were refilled with earth and replanted, and the original
a double glazing solution — combining an exterior wired water basin, outside Miremon-le-Crêt's hall, was refilled with
glazing with an interior single glazing (that is not sufficient water. However, not without the construction of a new pas-
to attain a satisfying thermal performance) — only because sage over it, allowing the reconciliation of Saugey's original
most of the original had already been substituted by solid project with the access needs of users.
elements or single glazing, and the remaining were largely By the end of the rehabilitation process the building will
deteriorated.29 On the other hand, the roof was optimally be back to a condition incredibly close to that found just
insulated and solar panels were installed for pre-heating of after the completion of its construction by Saugey, both
domestic water — as required by the present legislation of inside and outside.
the Canton30. In Miremont-le-Crêt, almost all materials and components
In addition, a solution also had to be found for the build- that were still able to perform their role were maintained
ing's entrance halls, whose entire glazing façade largely and/or rehabilitated, and any changes were introduced in
contributed to the heat loss of the building. Despite the compliance with Saugey's spirit, maintaining the basic ap-
existence in the entrance halls of an original and ingenious pearance and functions of the building. Only the decision

20
to dismantle the entrance hall's heating system can be seen des recherches liées à la qualité de l’espace.” in IC, “De l'habitat social aux
as a loss for the building and Saugey's original project and grands enseembles”, L’Architecture à Genève, 1919–1975, Lausanne,
Editions Payot, 1999, vol.1, 200.
intentions, raising an important question. Should a rehabili- 17 Idem, 287.
tation intervention be more concerned in complying with 18 “(…) chambres monofonctionnelles juxtaposées, par un espace unitaire, fluide et
the actual thermal standards rather than with the preser- continu.” in Ibidem, 202.
vation of the original architectural quality and technical 19 “(…) lui a offert la possibilité d’explorer le thème de l’espace.” in Ibidem.
20 “(…) chaque appartement joue le rôle d’une maison individuelle.” in CB, op. cit.,
solutions of the building? Or should a balance be found 107.
between energy, comfort and authenticity? 21 “L’effet plastique de l’ensemble (...), rompant ainsi avec la monotonie des bandes
The construction site opened in January 2014 on the d’imemubles parallèles.” in Christoph Schmidt-Ginzkey — op. cit., 54.
building's Miremont-le-Crêt side and the rehabilitation 22 Presently called Office du patrimoine et des sites [Office of Patrimony and
its Sites]. It is under the tutelage of the Département de l’Aménagement, du
works are now coming to an end, with the final works Logement et de l’Énergie [Department of Planning, Housing and Energy]
outside the entrance hall being finished. Following the — DALE — of the Republique et Canton de Gèneve [Republic and
achievement of the renovation works on the Miremont- Canton of Geneva].
le-Crêt side, the architects will initiate the works on the 23 Inès Lamunière, Patrick Devanthéry, “Sauvegarder Miremont-le-
Crêt?”, Patrimoine et Architecture, nº. 9, Dossier: Miremont-le-Crêt
building's Calas side. (1956–1957), Genève, Georg Editeur SA, 2000, 11–28.
24 “des espaces extérieurs des parcelles ainsi que des locaux communs du rez-de-
Notes chaussée desdits bâtiments. Les cages d’escalier, en tant que parties communes,
The present essay summarises the work developed for the author's et la typologie originale des apartements.” in Arrêté du Conseil d’État,
MSc dissertation — Preserving the Legacy of the Modern Movement: February 20 2002, 4.
Miremont-le-Crêt (1953–1957) in Geneva. Developed during an exchange 25 Franz Graf, Giulia Marino, La Cité du Lignon 1963-1971: Étude Architec-
year at the École Politechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, it had as coordina- turale et Stratégies d’Intervention, Patrimoine et Architecture: cahier hors série,
tors Professor Ana Tostões (ISTUL) and Professor Franz Graf (EPFL). Gollion, Éditions Infolio, 2012.
The information regarding the rehabilitation project of the Miremont- 26 Values provided by the architect Laurence Boyé (Meier+associés archi-
le-Crêt apartment building was provided by the architecture offices of tects) on April 4 2014.
27 See the Loi sur l’Énergie and the Règlement d’Application de la Loi sur

docomomo 54 – 2016/1
Meier+associés architectes and Atelier Oleg Calame.
1 “Miremont-le-Crêt est un bâtiment dans l’histoire du logement bien au-delà l’Énergie of the Canton of Geneva.
du contexte genevois.” in Catherine Dumont d'Ayot, “Miremont-le-Crêt: 28 Value provided by the architect Laurence Boyé.
manifeste de l’espace habitable”, Patrimoine et Architecture, nº. 9, Genève, 29 Cf. Inès Lamunière, Patrick Devanthéry, op. cit., 24.
Georg Editeur SA, 2000, 29. 30 See the Loi sur l’Énergie and the Règlement d’Application de la Loi sur
2 Cf. Laurent Moutinot, “Préface”, L’Architecture à Genève, 1919–1975, l’Énergie of the Canton of Geneva.
Lausanne, Editions Payot, 1999, vol.1, 9. 31 Cf. Idem., 23.
3 Cf. Catherine Courtiau, “Le contexte historique de la Genène internatio- 32 See the Loi sur les Eaux and the Règlement d’Éxecution de la Loi sur les Eaux
nal de l’après guerre”, Marc J. Saugey, Spacialité, Urbanisme et Nouveaux of the Canton of Geneva.
Programmes de l’Après-Guerrre: la Ville des Années 50 et 60, Genève, IAUG, 33 Cf. Inès Lamunière, Patrick Devanthéry, op. cit., 24–26.
2007, 18.
4 Cf. Laurent Moutinot, [Link]., 9.
References
5 “(...) la nécessité d’une restructuration urbaine (...) de la création de nouveaux
COURTIAU, Catherine, DUMONT D’AYOT, Catherine, THOMÉ, Philippe,
logements, services et équipements.” in Catherine Courtiau (2007), op. cit.,
Marc Joseph Saugey. Spacialité, Urbanisme et Nouveaux Programmes de
60.
l’Après-Guerre. La ville des Années 50 et 60 (research report under the
6 Cf. Armand Brulhart, “Marc Saugey (1908–1971) ou la Tentation
direction of Bruno Reichlin and Jean-Pierre Cêtre, with input from
d’Icare”, Faces, nº. 21, Genève, EAUG, 1991, 8.

Essays
Franz Graf), Genève, IAUG, 2007.
7 Cf. Patrick Devanthéry, “La Contingence et l’Apesanteur”, Faces, nº. 21,
DUMONT D’AYOT, Catherine, “Miremont-le-Crêt: manifeste de l’espace
Genève, EAUG, 1991, 4.
habitable”, Patrimoine et Architecture, No. 9, Dossier: Miremont-le-Crêt
8 “(...) distingué par ses recherches structurelles et de techniques nouvelles” in
(1956-1957), Genève, Georg Editeur SA, 2000.
Catherine Courtiau (2007), op. cit., 18.
GRAF, Franz, MARINO, Giulia, La cité du Lignon 1963–1971: Étude Architectu-
9 “L’espace habitable” — designation used by Saugey in Marc Joseph Sau-
rale et Stratégies d’Intervention, Patrimoine et Architecture: cahier hors série,
gey, “L'espace habitable, Miremont-le-Crêt”, Architecture, Formes, Fonctions,
Gollion, Éditions Infolio, 2012.
No. 8, Lausanne, Édition Anthony Krafft, 1961–62, 77–82.
LAMUNIERE, Inès, DEVANTHERY, Patrick, “Sauvegarder Miremont-le-
10 In the urban context of Geneva, Champel stands as “an excellent
Crêt?”, Patrimoine et Architecture, nº. 9, Dossier: Miremont-le-Crêt
example of the development of the bordering areas of the city” [“un
(1956-1957), Genève, Georg Editeur SA, 2000.
excellent exemple du dévéloppement des zones limitrophes de la ville”], where,
MEIER, Philippe, Marc Joseph Saugey, Architecte, Collection: Architectes du
during the 20 th century, the existent “villas and scattered properties
XXe siècle à Genève, nº. 4, Genève, Fédération des architectes suisses,
were replaced (…) by a district organized in parallel blocks” [des villas
section Genève, 2012.
et propriétés éparses son remplacées (…) par un quartier organise en barres”] in
SAUGEY, Marc-Joseph, “L’espace habitable, Miremont-le-Crêt”, Architecture,
AL, EB, “Champel-Florissant-Malagnou, le standing urbain genevois”,
Formes, Fonctions, No. 8, Lausanne, Édition Anthony Krafft, 1961–62.
xx e, Un Siècle d’Architectures à Genève. Promenades, Gollion, Infolio, 2009,
SCHMIDT-GINSKEY, Christoph, “Miremont-le-Crêt 1953–1957. L'espace habi-
87.
table”, Faces, Journal d’Architectures, No. 21, Dossier: Marc Joseph Saugey,
11 “(…) éléments extérieurs, naturels et bâtis.” in Marc Joseph Saugey, op. cit.,
Genève, EAUG, 1991.
77.
12 Cf. CB, “Miremont-le-Crêt”, xx e, Un siècle d’architectures à Genève. Prome-
nades, Gollion, Infolio, 2009, 107.
Patrícia Vendrell Duarte
13 “(…) aux cellules du logement collectif (d’acquérir) les qualités (réputées être
(b. 1991, Portugal). Trainee architect at Gonçalo Byrne Arquitectos, in
celles) de la villa.” in Catherine Dumont d'Ayot, op. cit., 31.
Lisbon. She holds a MSc in Architecture from Instituto Superior Técnico
14 “(…) la pièce central autour de laquelle s’articule un plan d’une grande fluidité
(ISTUL), with a dissertation entitled Preserving the Legacy of the Modern
spatiale”, in Idem, p. 32.
Movement: Miremont-le-Crêt (1953–1957) in Geneva, developed in the
15 Cf. Christoph Schmidt-Ginzkey, op. cit., 56.
framework of an exchange year at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de
16 “(…)le nouveau logement des années cinquante se conçoit essentiellement en
Lausanne (EPFL).
termes de rationalisation fonctionnelle et technique (...) au détriment souvent

21