Bois-de-la-Bâtie
LET’S STROLL (INTO THE WOODS)...
The «Bois-de-la-Bâtie» is an historical XIXth century park located into a woods at Geneva, near the Arve river. The purpose of the competition launched by the City of Geneva was to balance the restoration of some pre-existing equipments and the creation of a more playful universe, dedicated to children.
Territoires’s project puts the highlight on the edge of the woods, where the forest and the field interact with each other. The main idea is to integrate the childen playground and outdoor games into its landscape of woods and fields. The project wants to preserve the strong identity of the forest park and to explore the theme («Let’s stroll into the woods»), that has always existed in the collective imagination. To develop the project into the fields at the edge of the woods was also a way to spontaneously and obviously fuse the city and the nature in the same universe.
As the XIXth century used to be fond of, Territoires’s project got interest in the contrast of the woods and the meadow, which theatralizes the park. Above the wading pool and the outdoor games, lights and shadows are set by the trees, so the children can play and enjoy the moment in a protected and scenic space.
The former «Bois-de-la-Bâtie» Park suffered from the ravages of time, as many other parks. The soil erosion, in its process, damaged most pathways and some of them became dangerous for walkers. However the topography of the park shows a great poetic value, with many beautiful slopes and curves that need to be protected or restored, in order to keep these natural magical geography momentums. Territoires’s project restitutes and enhances some of these landforms with a rainwater system management along the meadow and wood pathways. This rainwater system is also playing an echo role with the wading pool, and is a way to remind what part is played by water in the natural landscape design.
Concerning the outdoor games, they establish an other connection with the history of the park, repeating the construction principles of the XIXth century art of gardening. In all of their aspects, the childrens games remind in the most natural way the surrounding nature and landscape, «merged» with the panorama. From games design to materials, all the components, even the soil covering aims, fulfill in the need of natural comfort and safety.
This is a project where everything finds its place and plays a role. Global scenography for the playground area is playful, rich and diversified, adapted to the different age groups. Some of them are accessible to children with disability. The area of the playground presents different textures to touch, to experiment and play with. As the contrast of the shadow and the light, spaces dedicated to intense activities alternate with quiet areas.
The lightning design we applied is inspired by the «Petit poucet» (Tom Thumb) principle: It was very important to guide and steer the different tracks, like bread crumbs would do or fireflies would do, so the woods feel safer.
The project also had to restore pre-existing equipments and architectures inside the park. Territoires’ plan resets the interior design but does not reverse the original volumes. The school and family cottage, dedicated to environmental awareness, opens the room and offers maximum available space. A double level large room, a large panoramic window, a high roof... many elements focus on observation, and are reminiscent of the classic artist’s studios of previous centuries. Which sets the mood for both artistic and pedagogical activities, in a functionnal and comfortable equipment. A simple and contemporanean lifespace.
