alpole - research centre for alpine and polar environments

second phase of the establishment of the epfl (energypolis) in the canton of valais in sion. 

project owner:

valais/wallis epfl unit in sion

collaborators:

etienne gilloz, carole westhoff, helena barras, marc evequoz, delphine preisig, fanny sierro

programme:

laboratories: computational environmental science and engineering, watershed science, environmental adaptation, biofilms and river ecosystems, extreme environments.

dates:

competition 2018, competition 1st prize

ongoing project

civil engineering:

alpatec sa, martigny

heating and ventilation engineering:

kotorritech sa, sion

electrical engineering:

valsmart, sion

the project entails converting the former ronquoz printing works building into eight new epfl professorships as part of the second phase of the university's expansion in the canton of valais.

the existing structure corresponds fairly well to needs in terms of surface area and volume as the future user expresses them. nevertheless, the project involves the total reorganisation of the internal spaces, the creation of a central patio and the lifting of the northern section, thereby taking advantage of the opportunity to re-establish a precise silhouette of the property by means of a clear structure. 

the building's structures are generally maintained and adhered to, keeping as much as possible of the original configuration. However, they will require some specific intervention to guarantee that certain horizontal forces are accommodated and to enable the building to achieve the seismic resistance values required with respect to its new purpose.
Particular attention will also be paid to the building shell's, which will be reworked to redefine its openings, thus helping to present an image of the building that is more appropriate to its content. The building's thermal insulation will also be improved to comply with the minergie label requirements and to comply with current data on the energy efficiency of buildings.
the outdoor amenities will generally remain as they are, with the exception of the creation and installation of the alpotron, which will be located in the north-eastern part of the site, in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the future site.
Therefore, the project presented today is both rational and functional; it is arranged around a central patio which provides the natural lighting needed for the various functions of the programme; it also offers a new entrance area and traffic routes which, from a safety point of view, are suited to the buildings' new functions.