Poissy Galore. Observatory, insect museum and visitor center by AWP + HHF
18/01/2017.
[Carrières-sous-Poissy, Paris] France
metalocus, CLAUDIA CENDOYA
metalocus, CLAUDIA CENDOYA
Description of the project by AWP + HHF
The series of buildings and pavilions are part of a new 113 hectare large public green space along the Seine river, in Carrière-Sous-Poissy, at the end station of the RER métro line A and close to Le Corbusier’s renowned Villa Savoye. The Park designed by Paris-based landscape architects Agence TER will be an ecological showcase for local residents and a leisure destination for people living in and around Paris.
The site of the project is exceptional. Along one edge is the Seine river. The presence of barges, fishing huts and houseboats, which have inhabited the site until now, has been a powerful source of inspiration. Along the other edge is nondescript, suburban detached housing. The design springs from a process of hybridization between these two existing habitat models: the floating barge and the archetypical suburban house.
Among other public infrastructures like a visitor’s center, a restaurant ("guinguette"), and an observatory, the competition brief included the construction of a museum to exhibit a large collection of insects, both living and conserved. For this the museum brief asked for public areas like exhibition spaces, an event hall and the welcoming area as well as for a series of publicly inaccessible areas like offices, storage and designated spaces for raising different kind of insects.
With the exception of the observatory, which is a steel construction, the collection of pavilions and small "follies" is based on a modular wood system, repeating and combining differently sized and angled timber frames. This approach allowed for interesting and unusual constructions, enabling a wide range of possible variations with a very limited number of elements. At the same time the relatively low priced construction method enabled the integration of local building know-how and local companies.
[AWP+HHF]
AWP is an interdisciplinary architectural office for territorial reconfiguration and design and one of the creative leading practices in France. Made up of Marc Armengaud, Matthias Armengaud, Alessandra Cianchetta, it is based in Paris and Basel (AWP-HHF) and develops projects internationally working on a wide variety of programmes: architecture, landscape design, strategic planning, urbanism ranging from major large scale public projects to temporary installations both in France and internationally. The practice was awarded the French Ministry of Culture’s Prize for Best Young Architects in 2006, and the French Ministry of Transport, Housing and Ecology’s PJU urban planning award 2010.
AWP is currently working on the strategic masterplan plan for the development of urban space in the La Défense business district, and designing an iconic 800 m long public space just below the Grande Arche de la Défense, as well as a series of follies and buildings, of culture & leisure.
HHF Architects was founded in 2003 by Tilo Herlach, Simon Hartmann and Simon Frommenwiler. Since then, HHF Architects have realized numerous projects in Switzerland, Germany, China, France, Mexico and the USA. The scope of work ranges from urbanism and large-scale construction to public pavilions and interior design.
In addition to building, teaching is an important activity of the office. The principals of HHF were visiting professors at the University of Innsbruck and guest lecturers at the UIA in Mexico City and at MIT in Boston. They participated also as jury members at numerous universities. From 2009 – 2011 Simon Hartmann was professor at the HTA in Fribourg, Switzerland. Since 2011 he is professor at the Joint Master of Architecture in Fribourg. 2014 he is teaching as a deputy professor at the University of Karlsruhe. Simon Frommenwiler was a visiting professor from 2011 – 2013 at ENSA Strasbourg, where he is an associate professor since 2013. 2014 he is teaching as a lecturer at MIT in Boston.
HHF architects is an architectural firm established by Tilo Herlach, Simon Hartmann and Simon Frommenwiler.
Tilo Herlach. He born in 1972 in Zurich, Switzerland. Between 1992 and 1998, Studies in Architecture at ETH Zurich and ETH Lausanne; Masters at ETH Zurich with Prof. Ruggero Tropeano. 1998-2003 Collaboration with d-company, Bern and Rolf Furrer Architekten, Basel. 2003 Founding of HHF architects, Basel. Since 2006 member of the "Board for Urban Planning SIA Basel". Since 2007 Board member of the Berlin Chamber of Architects. 2010 BSA member. 2011 Visiting professor at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Simon Hartmann. He born in 1974 in Bern, Switzerland. Between 1994 and 2000, Studies in Architecture at ETH Lausanne, TU Berlin and ETH Zurich; Masters at EPF Lausanne with Prof. V. Mangeat. 2000-2003 Collaboration with Rolf Furrer Architekten, Basel. 2002-2007 Teaching assistant at the ETH Studio Basel with Prof. Jaques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Roger Diener, Marcel Meili. 2003 Founding of HHF architects, Babel. 2009-2011 Professor at the HTA Fribourg. 2010 BSA member. 2011 Visiting professor at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. Since 2011 Professor at the Joint Master of Architecture course, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Simon Frommenwiler. He born in 1972 in London, United Kingdom. Between 1994 and 2000, Studies in Architecture at ETH Zurich; Masters with Prof. H. Kollhoff. 1997-2003 Collaborations with Bearth & Deplazes, Chur and Skidmore Owings & Merrill, New York, USA. 2003 Founding of HHF architects, Basel. 2005-2007 Teaching assistant at ETH Lausanne with Prof. Harry Gugger. 2010 BSA member. 2011 Professor at the Joint Master of Architecture course, Fribourg. 2011 Visiting professor at the ENSA Strasbourg, France.