THE BRIDGE explores the possibilities of temporary architectures in the specific context of Geneva’s European Heritage Days, a traditional city festival, on Jêune Genevois day. The Pont Du Montblanc, where the traffic will be closed off for the weekend, is a crucial and central infrastructure of Geneva. It will become the stage of multiple design interventions, installations, pavilions for several hours.
Since 1994, the European Heritage Days are an opportunity to discover the built and landscaped heritage of the canton of Geneva, through a series of visits to places that are usually not at all accessible to the public. To make a festival out of it is to celebrate its community by centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of what makes the common ground of this community. A festival constitutes typical cases of glocalization, as well as the high culture-low culture interrelationship. Central to its success is inclusivity, ensuring accessibility and resonance across diverse demographics. Our project prioritizes this ethos, aiming to create festival environments that cater to all ages, abilities, and backgrounds seamlessly integrating features like wheelchair accessibility, sensory-friendly elements, and amenities for families. To insure this THE BRIDGE focuses on the temporal (in time) layering of the spaces. Like in the dance of Tango, where dancers circulate in the same space together, each one following their patterns and trying to avoid crashing with the others, this coexistence of various activities and bodies creates complexity and beauty at the same time.
Embracing the principles of sustainability, students should explore opportunities to work with reused materials, borrowed materials, or those ready for further reuse. By giving new life to existing resources, we can minimize waste, reduce our carbon footprint, and contribute to a more environmentally friendly festival.