A flagship urban transformation project at the heart of Geneva
Close to the Gare des Eaux-Vives railway station in Geneva, Marti Construction is executing a con-struction project of remarkable technical complexity. Scheduled for completion in 2027, the develop-ment is a rarity: a single site featuring 150 housing units and an impressive variety of public facilities. There will be a swimming pool, multi-purpose sports hall, indoor climbing wall, a 108-place daycare centre, a community arts centre, a home care centre, shops, 500-place bicycle parking, and a municipal emergency shelter.
Technical innovation for a quiet life
The site’s immediate proximity to the railway station necessitated the development of a custom decoupling solution. Anti-vibration matting is installed between the new building and the diaphragm wall of the station – an innovative technical approach that ensures that future residents will not be bothered by noise.
Its high walls and long-span pre-stressed beams make this project unique. These structural elements create the enormous open spaces required for the sports hall and indoor climbing wall, without the need for interme-diate supports.
Prefabrication and precision execution
Alongside these structural challenges, the facade of the building requires the fitting of 1,143 prefabricated horizontal cladding panels, 304 parapet walls and 204 sills. Using prefabricated elements like this optimises the construction timeline while maintaining consistent quality throughout the structure.
The new pool must meet particularly strict precision standards for both waterproofing and finishing. Its com-pletion adds to the raft of specialist technical expertise that Marti Construction is showcasing on this one-of-a-kind project.
Site management in a dense urban setting
The Geneva construction site is 205 x 45 metres and has three underground levels, equivalent in area to three football fields, and has a workforce of up to 90 at peak periods. Coordinating the different trades and managing incoming supplies in this dense urban area is an ongoing logistical challenge.
A second major project in the area
The structural work, which began in 2024, requires 40,000 cubic metres of concrete and 6,000 tonnes of steel. The project is due for full completion in 2027, following the handover of 155 cooperative housing units in 2024.
Facts & figures
- Client: City of Geneva
- Project manager: Tekhne SA
- Architects: Brauen Wälchli Architectes
- Civil engineers: OU3 SA and Thomas Jundt Ingénieurs Civils SA
- Construction period: 2024–2026
- 150 housing units across 6 buildings
- 40,000 m³ of concrete
- 5,600 tonnes of steel
- 90 workers at peak times
- 3 underground levels of public facilities
The challenge with this project lies in its diversity, from the prefabricated facade panels to the special concrete in the swimming pool, not to mention the anti-vibration systems. Each element requires a specific approach
