Before the Swiss national exhibition made its way to Biel, the land that was to become the expopark was a bro-ken-down and under-developed area, characterized by old remnants of large industrial buildings without direct access to the lakeshore. By superimposing the idea of a partially developed zone into a concept of temporary usage the exhibitions, event platforms, restaurants, bars, cafes, and other such guest-oriented features, were formed. We approached the project as if it were an excavation in which more and more is revealed by digging deeper into the earth’s crust. The history of the site is unveiled, and discloses a space pregnant with future possibilities. Biel’s arteplage theme of “Power and Freedom” found its role perfectly set in the surroundings.
The program of the Expopark was thus created in and of itself through the nature of the landscape, its re-sources, and its inherent qualities, opening it up to transformation without stripping the area of its identity.
The semi-circular lakeshore beach was the catalyst for the sweeping design of the bridge over the Port of Biel, which playfully combined the power on the forum with the freedom of the park. The exhibition space, which gracefully dotted the landscape just beyond the shoreline, allowed for multifaceted views of the “région des trois lacs” (3 lakes region) and created a spectacle of itself as well – The Arteplage – the shore of arts. The park area, with its old trees, called for free flowing lines and lower buildings as to not compete with the dominance of the forum.
Biel’s arteplage also received some guests of another breed - around 1000 6-8 meter high trees of different spe-cies and provenance. These trees were potted into huge silver textile sacs and anchored down throughout the arteplage. These “guests” remained for 159 days, and later found their final resting places in gardens and parks all over Switzerland. A sporadic network of tree clusters was formed – sometimes dense and at times isolated. Different tree species came together, made contact, formed a dialogue, and separated again.
At night, the arteplage’s spatial qualities were literally “in the spotlight”. With Yann Kersale custom designed lighting, the "Grallumées” elucidated a certain impermanence and fragility, transforming the landscape into a poetic sea of lights. A space in time was created that was neither static nor rigid, but in continual rebirth and reform where power and freedom are no longer mutually exclusive.
