Shores of Lake Geneva

The transformation of Lake Geneva’s quays in Evian must be carried out on a spatial and temporal scale that is proportional to their geographical context: a vast landscape marked by tectonic upheavals as much as human intervention. It is an opportunity to write a new page in their history : Evian and its shores can re-establish a dialogue between lake and mountain, hindered by the omnipresence of cars, and give back a natural space to visitors and inhabitants. The project is nourished by the spirit of the place, strongly influenced by an era (Belle Epoque) and its environment (lake and mountains). The town has gained space on the lake by building on its banks. The shores are now all lined with piles of stones. On these stones, which are perpetually wet due to the surf and tides, a pioneer vegetation develops : mosses. In addition, the gardeners of the last century decorated the town with numerous tree species, including the prehistoric Ginkgo biloba. This tree is the last representative of its genus, witness of another time. This image of a conquering vegetation, defying elements and time, shows the vigor of a plant world that is now being battered by urbanization and threatened by climate change. An archaic plant world echoes the geological times of the Evian landscape. Our landscaping approach is therefore guided by the desire to raise awareness of the age-old process that has enabled the geophysical and biological structuring of the landscape. The project reorganizes the space in such a way as to rebalance the relationship between mineral and plant life, and seeks to facilitate the recolonization by Nature of an urban development that had largely excluded it. images @Malcolm Dax