Fort l’Ecluse Museum
atelierpng

Fort l’Ecluse Museum

Atelier PNG as Architects

Headline
It is a new story for Fort l'Écluse, rebuilt on itself, and a second life for the stones. A strong emotional bond links the inhabitants of the Pays de Gex to their fort. This living territory, destroyed, rebuilt and enlarged, has often changed its use.

photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng

General description
Built in the seventeenth century the fort and its site are much alive. Their uses oscillated according to the periods of war and peace, between landscape asset and military gem and resulted in the successive historical layers of this imposing construction made with the Jura Mountains. Atelierpng questions the nature of works and their dating, seizes it in order to integrate as well as possible in the successive historical layers of this imposing construction, which is the rock of the Jura. Historically housed on a hillside, to better see the adversary's arrival, the fort today shows an exceptional landscape: the banks of the Rhone, the massifs of the Ain and those of Haute-Savoie. The revaluation ("revalorization") of the fort tells the military history of the place, its architecture and its materials, its singular position anchored in the massif.

photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng

Concept
Historically housed on a hillside, to better see the opponent coming, the fort today shows an exceptional landscape. The revaluation of the fort tells the military history of the place, of its architecture and materials, of its singular position anchored in the massif. The first intervention is the requalification of the reception areas, on the ground floor of one of the casemates. Without disrupting the rigour of the skilfully cut stone that makes up the identity of the fort, the architects chose to install metal elements that are integrated into the vaults and resist the particularly difficult climatic conditions. The new vertical circulation of the fort can be seen from the entrance to the Porte de France for the trained eye, while it is clearly visible from the inner courtyard. The operation boasts an unvarnished geometry, in resonance with the rigour of the fort l'Écluse, cut to withstand the harshest of winters. The loopholes negotiated between the gabions frame views towards the landscape and military environment.

photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng

Construction
The most visible intervention, the vertical circulation is carried out in gabion chosen for its unfailing material link with Fort l'Écluse, patiently built on the rock of the Jura. The galvanisedsteel cages were filled exclusively with the products of the demolitions linked to the intervention, in a virtuous logic of recycling. The delicate conditions of the site, in the heart of a high perched fort, led to the use of prefabrication and the notion of a dry site. The cuts and removals necessary for the installation of the structure were carried out in a logic of parsimony and economy of means. The stones resulting from the cuttings were sorted and crushed in order to obtain the raw material for the project. Two thin walls of gabions were erected and filled in place with these demolition products. Snapshots of the construction site. The same principle of prefabrication and "dry" assembly was proposed for the floors: galvanised metal frames were filled with flooring.

photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng
photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng
photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng
photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng
photo_credit atelierpng
atelierpng
Project Credits
Architects
Product Spec Sheet

Products Behind Projects
Product Spotlight
News
Nokha Village Community Centre by Sanjay Puri Architects is an architectural oasis in the desert
18 Mar 2024 News
Nokha Village Community Centre by Sanjay Puri Architects is an architectural oasis in the desert

Mumbai-based Sanjay Puri Architects has completed the Nokha Village Community Centre, an architectur... More

Square and Tourist Office: Emerging finalist in Mies van der Rohe Awards 2024
15 Mar 2024 News
Square and Tourist Office: Emerging finalist in Mies van der Rohe Awards 2024

In this Archello series, we look at each of the seven nominated projects (five architecture finalist... More

25 best mosaic wall tile manufacturers
15 Mar 2024 Specification
25 best mosaic wall tile manufacturers

Mosaic wall tiles are produced in an enormous range of colors, shapes and finishes, and from a varie... More

Introducing Partner Motion Facades
15 Mar 2024 Partner News
Introducing Partner Motion Facades

Motion Facades specializes in supplying advanced facade systems for luxury real estate projects. Its... More

Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores join Archello Awards 2024 jury panel
15 Mar 2024 Archello Awards
Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores join Archello Awards 2024 jury panel

Architects Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores have been an... More

JSWD completes new office complex in Bonn unified by triangular facade elements
14 Mar 2024 News
JSWD completes new office complex in Bonn unified by triangular facade elements

International architectural firm JSWD has completed the Neuer Kanzlerplatz office complex in the cit... More

Archello Awards 2024 expands with 'Firm Awards'
14 Mar 2024 Archello Awards
Archello Awards 2024 expands with 'Firm Awards'

Today Archello introduces a new set of Firm Awards categories to widen the scope of the Archello Awa... More

Studio Egret West develops plans for new Passivhaus homes
13 Mar 2024 News
Studio Egret West develops plans for new Passivhaus homes

London-based multidisciplinary architecture and design practice Studio Egret West has developed plan... More