immorama_anglais_29

n° 2 9 / a u t u m n 2 0 1 1

Pl ea s re of e di sp m sp on e os e sib ly!

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Will the TOWN rat wipe out the COUNTRY rat ?

Switzerland:

Interviews with : Gilles Mulhauser, Christophe Bosson, François Erard, Bernard Woeffray, Yves Pellaux. pp. 25 to 33

web+

Thônex (GE) – For sale Spacious villa in a green setting. CHF 2,100,000.– Page 65

Rest of the world see www.immorama.ch

Around the world : China, Australia, Tanzania, Montreal. pp. 35 to 40

Nyon (VD) – For sale

New property with indoor pool, garages. Choice of finishings. Page 88

Collonge-Bellerive (GE) For sale – Triplex apartment

with 100 m2 garden. CHF 2,500,000.– Page 67

rite

vo r fa

Genthod (GE) – For sale

FOR SALE AND FOR RENT : VAST CHOICE OF PROPERTIES INSIDE PP 61 to 94

4 twin villas in a leafy, residential area. From CHF 1,510 ,000.– Page 66

Votre magasin en ligne du matĂŠriel de nettoyage

www.grellor.com Achetez sur smartphone

Will the town rat wipe out the country rat ?

own rat goes head-to-head with country rat... it’s an age-old story (did La Fontaine not find inspiration for his fables from a fourth-century Greek rhetorician ?) but the question is evidently taking on a new meaning in these times of globalisation and GMOs when we are no closer to solving the world’s population and famine problems.

editorial 1

Reference to the French cartoonist Reiser.

Interview published in the regional daily newspaper “24 heures” on 18 April 2008. 2

Local news in Geneva has been very much dominated by the correlation between agriculture and urban pressure, primarily with the vote to declassify the Cherpines agricultural zone. The people’s verdict may have temporarily put the debate to bed, but there remain quite a few fundamental questions unanswered. There is at times a tendency to resort to type, obscuring the fact that opponents of urban sprawl are not necessarily “romantic eco-warriors” wearing watermelons as sandals, banana watch straps and gherkin belts. Take, for example, the concern expressed by Norman Foster, who claims the gradual nibbling away of the land in French-speaking Switzerland is jeopardising the “fragile equilibrium between villages and nature”. He also asserts that the “urbanisation” (if indeed it merits that description) along the Geneva-Lausanne motorway is unsightly and highlights “a failure of the regional planning process”. Besides, the farming world is pragmatic (see the interviews in our report, pages 25 to 33) and is not so much complaining about the pressure on agricultural land but the sprawling nature and inefficient use of existing built-on land. Unfortunately it is undeniably easier and less risky for the political world to dip into the agricultural zone rather than to increase the density of a residential area. Thus arises the need for safeguards, bearing in mind that it’s not necessarily simply a question of protecting the agriculture sector or the countryside, but also the things that make our country attractive, including its economic appeal... Having said that, the debate does not merely centre around urbanisation and regional planning issues. The international section of our dossier (pages 35 to 40) highlights other fundamental problems and challenges, from the redistribution of land in South Africa to the control of foreign investments in Australia and New Zealand (yes, Switzerland is not the only country concerned about the possibility of its land being taken over by foreigners !). We discuss food safety issues, plus there’s a rather refreshing look at “Agriculture 2.0” in Montreal city centre where vegetables are grown in rooftop greenhouses, bringing local produce to a few thousand inhabitants in the process. We are not claiming that our dossier gives you an exhaustive insight into this huge problem, but simply wish to highlight some aspects of it and remind you that it affects us all. In any event, this is more than just a left-right disagreement or a matter for the “pro” and “anti” development lobbies.

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Chief Executive Officer of Société Privée de Gérance n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Rue Eugène-Marziano 41 t Case Postale /1811 t 1227 Les Acacias GE Tél. 022 809 63 70 t Fax 022 809 63 71 t louis.roulin@cuisinelle.ch

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons Pl sp re

N° 29 – autumn 2011

contents Editorial by Thierry Barbier-Mueller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

A publication of

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE

DE GÉRANCE

Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva Tel. : 022 849 61 61 Fax : 022 849 61 00 www.spg.ch

Publications division

Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva Tel. : 022 849 65 60 Fax : 022 849 61 80 E-mail : publications@spg.ch www.immorama.ch

Responsible Publisher

Thierry Barbier-Mueller

dream Great mansions past and present: three dream homes for sale . . . . 7 ecology SPG, “SIG Vitale Vert”! user... and player! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 new Rue de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett: building a whole district . . . . . . . . . . 15 construction Saint-Georges Center : brilliant, audacious, eco-friendly . . . . 19 competition Seeking out the beauty in our environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 dossier W ill the town mouse swallow up the country mouse ? • Dossier local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 T he agriculture that would not die by Thierry Oppikofer • Dossier international . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 T o protect farming, let’s be ceative! by Christine Esseiva

Editor in chief

Christine Esseiva redaction@immorama.ch

The Residential Rentals Department: specialising in housing expats 43 relocation

zoom SPG Intercity, national commercial property consultants . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Advertising

Edouard Carrascosa edouard.carrascosa@spg.ch Tel. : 022 849 65 61 - Fax : 022 849 61 80

Property section and distribution Béatrice Repole

Layout and production Sandra Cattaud

What does the Maison de l’Architecture do? . . . . . . . . . . . 51 architecture Printed matter is taking over our cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 signage

brief IFA Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Vaste choix d’offres immobilières :

Subscriptions

Simon Jöhr Tél. : 022 849 65 68/57 abonnements@immorama.ch

Contributors to this issue : Aïcha Arrighi Claude Atallah D. Bakis-Métoudi

Philippe Buzzi François Delaite Martin Dunning

Printing, binding, corrections Swissprinters Lausanne SA, Renens

SPG FINEST PROPERTIES Switzerland Exceptional property for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 société privée de gérance Geneva and surrounding area Houses, apartments and new development for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buildings for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apartments and houses for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Commercial premises for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

64 70 72 77

Cover

Photos: shutterstock Certified print run (REMP) 221,307 copies Print run this issue : 233,200 copies Biannual publication (spring and autumn) Founded in 1997 e-paper English version available at www.immorama.ch The offers in the property pages are not legally-binding documents..

This publication is published by the SPG Group comprising the companies SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, RYTZ & Cie S A and IFA All rights reserved ®2011 SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE Geneva Next issue March 2012

Electronic version www.immorama.ch

SPG Intercity Geneva and surrounding area Commercial premises for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 RytZ Vaud Apartments and commercial premises for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Houses for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New development for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Properties for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

84 85 86 87

IFA Neighbouring France Houses and apartments for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 mansions – Island Be extravagant! Mansions for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 ...Another extravagance! Island for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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dream Great mansions past and present: three dream homes for sale

www.spgfinestproperties.ch

The SPG Finest Properties Division specialises in the sale and rental of luxury properties. Here, the Château de Bavois in the canton of Vaud.

Great mansions past and present : three dream homes for sale

ot all castles are to be found in France. French-speaking Switzerland boasts a number of noble mansions which rank alongside the most prestigious old and contemporary properties. Naturally these extraordinary houses often pass down through the generations and are rarely available for sale, so three such properties coming onto the market at the same time is something of an event ! The three properties on offer from the SPG Finest Properties Division, exclusive partner in Swiss Romandie of Christie’s International Real Estate (CIRE), are all exceptional in their own way : the centuriesold Château de Bavois, El Masr, a masterpiece of 19th century eclectic architecture, and the Villa du Lac with its unique combination of space, light and luxury. Château de Bavois : the strength of a tradition The Château de Bavois sits on a hilltop overlooking the vast Orbe Plain, bordered by the forests and foothills of the Jura. We are in the north of the canton of Vaud, less than an hour from Geneva International Airport. The history of the Bavois estate goes back to the 12th century. Owned by the Lords of Joux and then the Counts of Savoy, the mansion was initially a stronghold serving as a strategic lookout post for the surrounding roads and land. Over the centuries its primary function progressively disappeared and it became a beautiful mansion, its round military towers blending in with the thick walls and soaring roofs so typical of the best traditional Vaud architecture. The building, which has been in the same family for several centuries, incorporates a remarkable collection of authentic décors and artefacts, bearing the mark of several layers of history. The monumental fireplaces, period floors and ceiling beams bear witness to the restrained luxury of the great families of the region who favoured opulence without ostentation. The Bavois estate extends over some seven acres and incorporates several different buildings. 8

dream By Claire Vaudremont

■

Find out more :

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41 A CH - 1207 Geneva Tel. +41 22 707 46 60 Fax +41 22 707 46 66 www.spgfinestproperties.ch E-mail : info@spgfinestproperties.ch

for sale

Villa du Lac in Cologny. Occupying a plot of over 4,000 square metres, the villa boasts a living area of 1,000 square metres. Thanks to its exceptional location on Cologny Hill, it enjoys a breathtaking panoramic view over Lake Geneva. n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

dream Great mansions past and present: three dream homes for sale

“It is very rare that castles come onto the market because many of them are owned by foundations, associations and local communities who have good reason not to sell. Generally, the purchasers of these extraordinary properties are history enthusiasts who want to bring the past back to life and at the same time bring the property into the 21st century. It is not unusual for these castles to contain some genuine treasures, which is why they are linked to the fine art market and handled through our partnership with Christie’s the auctioneers.”

Claude Atallah Director of SPG Finest Properties

for sale

El Masr, a castle in the hills of Cologny. Neomedieval architecture with Scottish influences, drawing on the picturesque romanticism of the best Tudor style.

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

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The mansion was fully renovated by its current owner in the 1990s. It has a main reception area with a knights’ hall, billiard room, dining room, old kitchen and guest bedrooms plus living quarters extending over three floors. Surrounding the castle is a lawn planted with century-old trees, a swimming pool, a greenhouse, modern stables and several venerable appendages : a farm building, fountain and bread oven. The adjacent farm, rebuilt during the 1990s, houses six independent rental apartments and a fully-equipped reception hall with a capacity of over 200 for hosting cocktail parties, meals or different events such as concerts, conferences and film screenings. There is also a plot suitable for a building with a floor area in excess of 1,700 square metres. The whole estate, particularly the mansion, is in perfect condition, versatile and easy to maintain. El Masr : a masterpiece of 19th century architecture Set in the hills of Cologny, El Masr overlooks Lake Geneva and the Geneva basin. It was built in 1883-1884 by the Scot Charles Flood, on his return from Egypt where he made his fortune. His architects, Henri Bourrit and Jacques Simmler, learnt the secrets of 19 th century eclecticism in Zurich and were responsible for several remarkable buildings in Geneva, notably a neo-Florentine School of Chemistry and the Napoleon III style Sans-Souci castle on the other side of the lake. Here in Cologny they created an extraordinary feat of neo-medieval architecture with Scottish influences, drawing on the picturesque romanticism of the best Tudor style. In the centre of the castle is a lofty square keep spanning four levels, topped by crenels and flanked by a corner turret which offers a unique vista of the lake, the Jura mountains and the night sky. The entrance is through a sculpted porch at the top of a Baroque-inspired double-flight staircase. The magnificent keep is flanked by two buildings, the largest of which contains, on the first floor, an astonishing seigniorial chapel lit by large Gothic bay windows bearing the Charles Flood monogram. In memory of the happy years he spent in Alexandria, he named the mansion “El Masr”, “the Egyptian”. This eclectic masterpiece was painstakingly restored, returning the legacy from the past to its full glory while bringing the equipment and utilities up to the high standard one might expect of a large contemporary home. In keeping with the eclectic style of the original builders, the last owner restored the sumptuous traditional décor to the very last detail, which is set off by its superb Venetian marble and chandeliers. Villa du Lac : a luxurious 21st century home In Switzerland the living area of a luxury villa is rarely greater than 600 square metres, nowhere near large enough to satisfy lovers of vast contemporary loft spaces. So this 1,000-square metre luxury villa built in Cologny is out of the ordinary, the first of its kind, paving the way for a new type of high-end property in 21st century Switzerland. The Villa du Lac is the ultimate bright, elegant, contemporary home extending over two floors offering a panoramic view of Lake Geneva through its glass-fronted façade. The lounges and dining room are on the ground floor with the first floor housing the bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom and dressing room. The basement boasts a large spa area, indoor pool, gym, cinema and several other high tech facilities. A basement six-space car park is accessed via a private lift. Sizeable landscaped terraces extend from the vast rooms, blurring the boundaries between inside and out, while exclusive views over the lake and the gentle ridges of the distant Jura mountains can be had from the beautiful large swimming pool. ■

Avenue de la Praille 45 1227 Carouge TĂŠl 022 784 16 77 Fax 022 784 16 83 www.caragnano.ch

bativer n24.pdf 27.01.2009 16:58:06

« L’ARTISAN DE VOS TOITURES » FERBLANTERIE

COUVERTURE

ENTRETIEN TOITURE

ÉTANCHÉITÉ

Robert Duraffourd

32, route des Acacias • 1227 Les Acacias Tél.: 022 794 82 93 • Fax.: 022 342 42 80 • Natel: 079 637 84 22 e-mail: duraffourd@dfinet.ch duraffourd 28.indd 1

04/02/2011 14:18:23

Casimo peinture SA Papier-peint Crépis Rénovations 6 ch. du Repos 1213 Petit Lancy Genève

T +41 (0) 22 796 40 71 P +41 (0) 79 449 17 76 F +41 (0) 22 796 53 28

casimo-peinture@hotmail.com

ENTREPRISE DE NETTOYAGE M. NOYA 6, rue des Eaux-Vives 1207 Genève

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Tél. 022 736 23 05 Fax 022 736 24 70 Natel 079 203 67 55

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ecology SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, “SIG Vitale Vert” user... and player!

ÊTRE SIG VITALE VERT C'EST 17 FOIS PLUS DE SOLAIRE EN 8 ANS. Philippe Buzzi, Directeur Société Privée de Gérance, Genève, SIG Vitale Vert comme déjà près de 50’000 Genevois.

Pour voir les vidéos, téléchargez une application gratuite QR Code et scannez le tag

www.sig-ge.ch

Une énergie propre à chacun

SOCIÉTE PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, “SIG Vitale Vert” user... and player!

ecology

emaining true to its sustainable development policy, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE (SPG) was one of the first companies to sign up for the Services Industriels de Genève (SIG)’s “SIG Vitale Vert” programme, which means using the canton’s most ecological energy. Philippe Buzzi, Director of the SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Management Departments, tells us more.

By Claire Vaudremont

– why did you sign up for “SIG Vitale Vert”? Philippe Buzzi – Aware of the world’s energy issues and their ecological impact, Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) is stepping up its efforts to promote renewable energy. Primarily, this means offering to supply their customers with ultra eco-friendly “SIG Vitale Vert” energy, sourced exclusively from hydropower and two new sources of renewable energy, solar and biomass. SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE, the first public company in Geneva to wake up to the sustainable development challenge, signed up for this option to meet its own requirements as soon as it was available, encouraging its partners – property owners, tenants and companies – to follow suit – How significant is this commitment? – It is of course a drop in the ocean compared to what needs to be done to save the planet but we are convinced it’s the way forward: step by step, by taking lots of small intelligent decisions which, together, will finally change our relationship with the planet. It’s a question of willingness and responsibility. For example, solar energy production requires facilities which are fairly costly, produce a rather modest return and take 10 to 20 years to pay for themselves so it is not always easy to convince property owners to take the plunge. However, if you think about Fukishima and the dangers of nuclear energy, you realise that immediate action is required, that we have a moral duty to find alternatives. – You are taking part in the SIG promotional campaign. Why did you choose to do this? 8

“By taking lots of small intelligent decisions, we will finally change our relationship with the planet”

Above, the “SIG Vitale Vert” advertising campaign. By taking part in this campaign, the société privée de gérance is supporting solar energy and helping raise awareness of green energy.

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Find out more :

Philippe Buzzi, Director of the Management Departments

Société privée de gérance Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 61 61 Fax +41 22 849 67 45 E-mail : gerance@spg.ch www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

ecology SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, “SIG Vitale Vert” user... and player!

“When you commit to sustainable development, you need to see it through right to the end!”

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

– When SIG suggested its “SIG Vitale Vert” customers provide personal testimony. When you commit to sustainable development, you need to see it through right to the end! The SIG initiative provides us with a further opportunity to raise awareness: to state the convictions which drive the SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE, to explain how we put them into action, to thank owners and tenants who have already come on board and encourage others to join them and make their contribution. The end result was a poster campaign in Geneva which began in October. Thierry Truchet – Customer Communications Manager at SIG

Thierry Truchet

Customer Communications Manager at SIG

“With “SIG Vitale Vert” we let our customers have their say”

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Find out more:

Next issue in spring 2012. Visit www.sig-ge.ch QR code

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

– What is “SIG Vitale Vert”? – “SIG Vitale Vert” was launched by SIG ten years ago now. It’s an innovative concept whereby Geneva customers can choose from a range of electricity options with different solar energy components. Since then, SIG’s electricity offering has grown, as have “SIG Vitale Vert” customer numbers: 44,000 customers (companies, local government and domestic) in Geneva at the end of 2010, and currently almost 50,000, are supporting solar energy and, more generally sustainable development, through the choices they make. An excellent reason for SIG to let customers have their say. – Why did you decide to involve these customers in your electricity advertising? – When it comes to energy, ecological quality is one of the key criteria for our customers so when they purchase eco-electricity, they see themselves as making a concrete commitment to the local environment. They deserve recognition from the general public for adopting this approach so it is our way of saying thank you to them. – How did you go about selecting your clients and filming their testimonials? – The basic principle was very simple: among our 44,000 “SIG Vitale Vert” customers we have companies of all sizes, local government offices in Geneva and domestic customers so the “subjects” selected had to reflect this diversity. We therefore built the campaign around company representatives, town halls and anonymous volunteers from among our domestic customers. In the business sector the choice was easy because SIG has direct, personal contact with large companies and local government via the customer service agents. In the domestic market, however, the operation was more complex because we had to reach out to customers we didn’t know personally. We therefore launched a recruitment campaign inviting people to attend a casting. It lasted a month but in less than three weeks about 80 people had already submitted an application backed by a photo. In the end we selected seven of these applicants who were invited to take part in a studio photo shoot holding a solar panel, in testimony to their support for clean energy. At the same time, background shots were taken at well-known places in Geneva and in front of the offices of the companies selected. Next the magic got to work assembling the photos to give a very realistic result. – What about the media coverage? – It was a multi-media advertising campaign. In addition to the classic media – magazine ads, posters, posters on TPG [Geneva Public Transport] buses and trams – we turned to electronic media – websites and YouTube – to broadcast the videos of the interviews. In short it was a 360 degree campaign which the public loved. – Would you do it again? – Of course, you don’t change a concept that works! But we’d certainly move it on to avoid repetition. ■

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Rue de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett: building a whole district

gie

www.cgb-vernier.ch

The Coupe Gordon-Bennett complex, Vernier (GE). Shopping galleries and work shops for rent make it a first class commercial proposition for future users.

er ’én nd atio ion mm umpt o s on ons le c y c faib energ ie, e v lower d é , lit ife qua of l ure lity ille ua Me her q g i H

new

Rue de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett: building a whole district

n Vernier, in an area between Lignon swimming pool and the headquarters of the utilities company Services Industriels de Genève, a new district is under construction. An elegant, mixed-use pedestrianised mall with arcades, shops and services will inject some muchneeded life and soul into this rather non-descript peripheral area. Time for the urbanites to move in! All partners in the initiative are working together to recreate a “little piece of the city” comprising 300 houses, an office building plus a clever combination of different public spaces, all with trees and top quality street furniture. François Delaite, Head of Commercial Rentals at SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, is involved in the initiative. – First of all, where does the name “rue de la Coupe GordonBennett” come from? François Delaite – Wanting to rename the old route de l’Usine à Gaz (Gasworks road) which had outmoded industrial connotations, the Vernier council decided to pay tribute to the Gordon Bennett Cup, a balloon race which was inaugurated in this very place on 24 August 1922 by the rich American press baron. This international hot air balloon competition still takes place today and in 2009 the 53rd race was held in Vessy. – How did the idea to build this new district come about? – Since 1952 this eight and a half acre plot of land has belonged to the Implenia Group (formerly Zschokke) which has for many years used it for its own construction activities. However urbanisation came calling and, being in a prime location right beside the airport and motorway, the site was too good to remain an industrial zone in the long term. In 1997 its conversion into a mixed housing/activities area was included in the Vernier council’s master plan and, driven by Implenia, the process was moved forward very efficiently. In 2006 the Grand Conseil (cantonal parliament) approved the area’s change of use. 8

new By Claire Vaudremont

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Find out more:

François Delaite, Head of Commercial Rentals

société privée de gérance

Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 62 00 Fax +41 22 849 67 04 E-mail : locom@spg.ch www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

new Rue de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett: building a whole district

“Opting resolutely for urbanisation on a human scale, the architects designed four-storey buildings grouped into five compact blocks built around tranquil inner courtyards.”

“We are building not simply some buildings but a lively urban district, which will help bring a real piece of the city to this peripheral area on the banks of the Rhone.”

Rue de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett. The five buildings are organised around a central walkway which provides ideal opportunities for socialising.

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

The same year, the process was put out to tender and the Geneva office of LRS Architectes was selected unanimously. The State Council (Geneva cantonal government) adopted a localised plan of the district late 2008 and in October 2009 all the building permits had been granted on first submission (no appeals) and the work is currently underway. – What’s the secret of such a rapid success? – Having a single entity – Implenia – steering the project definitely played a major part in the success. The buildings were not handed over to the various investors until the end of the project. And, importantly, the design of the district was of such a quality that any misgivings were dispelled. Opting resolutely for urbanisation on a human scale, the architects designed fourstorey buildings grouped into five compact blocks built around tranquil inner courtyards: like the urban blocks in older districts but with the highest standard of design, modern facilities and energy saving devices. All parking is in a single basement car park, with the exception of a few ground-level spaces for visitors. The five building blocks are spaced out along a pedestrianised mall lined with shops, activities and services intended primarily for the inhabitants of the district but destined to become a hub for the area as a whole, which currently doesn’t have much local entertainment. The architecture takes its inspiration from nature, using different shades of green and balustrades lined with plants, following the same sustainable development philosophy as the exterior spaces which were landscaped by the Geneva firm of architects ADR. The discreetly-lit courtyards are planted with trees and dotted with dwarf bamboo plants. On a floral lawn, sturdy wooden tables and benches are protected from the street noise by a small hill and a hedge. The children’s playground will use natural materials such as trunks simply stripped of their bark and placed on an anti-slip surface. – What stage is the construction at? – Of the five buildings planned, the four built to house the 300 homes will be handed over to occupants in 2012 and early 2013. The fifth building, an office building offering around 11,000 square metres of office space over five floors, will follow shortly afterwards. The marketing of this building has only just begun: premises in a good location, near the airport, with good public transport services, beside a pedestrianised street and swimming pool, not to mention the walks along the Rhône, all for an average price of CHF 375.– per square metre, partially equipped, will no doubt be snapped up. SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE is also responsible for marketing two apartment blocks owned by the Swiss Accident Insurer SUVA, which are currently in the construction phase. The sale and rental of the 177 apartments is practically signed and sealed. For the rental of the ground floor spaces we are working in close collaboration with the managers of the neighbouring buildings. By pooling our resources – both complementary and divergent – we will be able to create a successful pedestrianised mall which will inject life into the district in the long term. A restaurant, bread shop, hairdresser, newsagent, pharmacy, drycleaners and grocer’s shop are all serious contenders. There are still a few spaces to rent out, one for a doctor’s surgery, for example, and some small 25 to 30 metre square workshops at the very attractive price of CHF 200.– per square metre. Innovative urbanisation, creative architecture, high-end outside amenities and a pedestrianised mall destined to become the hub of the whole district… the Gordon-Bennett project is an exciting initiative, driven forward by the conviction that we are in the process of building not simply some buildings but also a lively urban district, which will help bring a real piece of the city to this peripheral area on the banks of the Rhone. ■

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ÇA SE PASSE CHEZ VOUS

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www.st-gc.com

construction Brilliant, audacious, eco-friendly

The Saint-Georges Center. Taking shape at lightning speed.

Saint-Georges Center: brilliant, audacious, eco-friendly

n 20 September last year, in the fast-evolving Plainpalais-Jonction district, the designers and builders of the Saint-Georges Center gathered together, as is traditional in Switzerland, to mark the completion of the building’s carcass in a celebration known as the bouquet de chantier. With société privée de gérance’s SPG Asset Development Department firmly at the helm, and the civil engineering work in the hands of the firm Pillet SA, work is going exactly according to schedule. Now, through the sweeping curve of the enclosure and the scaffolding it is possible to catch a glimpse of the unique shape of this brilliant, audacious, eco-friendly building which is showing signs of becoming one of the trademarks of 21st century Geneva. But this is just the first stage. In spring 2012 the scaffolding will be removed to reveal even more surprises, this time in the form of dazzling colours. An international private call for tenders The Saint-Georges Center is the result of an international private call for tenders orchestrated by the SPG Asset Development Department. It started out as a project to completely renovate an existing 1960s administrative building on boulevard Saint-Georges. The curtain walls of the original simple, rectangular concrete structure not only lacked urban appeal, but did not have great acoustic and energy proofing potential. The clients had resolutely decided that a quality redevelopment was the only route for this building which occupied a prime location in the heart of a fast-evolving city centre. In 2003, deciding initially to retain the internal structure, SPG Asset Development invited seven world-famous architects, based in Switzerland, Europe and as far away as the USA, to design a new façade which would revolutionise the image of the building. The panel selected one of the most audacious projects, put forward by the firm of architects Sauerbruch Hutton (Berlin), which consisted of replacing the flat concrete facades of the old building with voluptuous glass curves. 8

construction By Claire Vaudremont

“The Saint-Georges Center build ran to schedule without the slightest hitch.”

Dominique Bakis-Métoudi Director of SPG Asset Development

société privée de gérance Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 62 00 Fax +41 22 849 67 04 E-mail : asset@spg.ch www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

construction

Brilliant, audacious, eco-friendly

Saint-Georges Center. All parties involved in the building’s construction (the German architects, the Geneva architects, the contractor, etc.) gathered at the site to celebrate the traditional bouquet de chantier on 20 September last.

“The clients had resolutely decided that a quality redevelopment was the only route for this building which occupied a prime location in the heart of a fastevolving city centre.” Further reading:

construction article,

Immorama n°28 - Spring 2011, p. 7.

“We build, we renovate, we create value, we save the planet.”

Call our team on! Tel 022 849 64 04 for no-obligation information

asset@spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly A subsequent, more in-depth, study led to a change of direction. All things considered, it transpired that it would be better to replace not only the façade but also the structure, replacing the old building with a completely new building in accordance with current structural standards with active slab floors which are more versatile and energy efficient. Rectangle to curve The change from a rectangular to a curved structure was made easier by the fact that the Geneva authorities and owners of the neighbouring buildings were won over by the project’s promise of urban integration. Indeed, keen to integrate the building into the existing site, Sauerbruch Hutton designed the Saint-Georges Center as a standalone building in the line of the boulevard but also as an attractive shape to enhance the general appearance of the surrounding area. The large sweeping curve of the façade on the boulevard side leads onto a small access road to the block’s courtyard at one end and, at the other, abuts the wall of the neighbouring building. What is more, Sauerbruch Hutton has brought to Geneva its dazzling, coloured, environmentally-friendly facades which have established its reputation in Europe and earned it a large number of national and international awards. The new building will have a dual metal and glass frontage which, in practical terms, will provide protection, gentle ventilation and heat control. Between the two glass “skins” very fine blinds, sheltered from inclement weather, will control the light entering the building and sheets of horizontal and vertical coloured glass, in different shades of yellow and ochre (the colours of Geneva and the district) will bring the building to life, by day and by night. In line with its MINERGIE® ecological certification, the Saint-Georges Center will offer seven 900 m2 platforms which can, at the tenant’s will, be laid out as open-plan or partitioned offices over a flexible 1.50m-wide grid. Access will be via a robust central distribution block, supplemented by a second core structure. On the ground floor, a gentle inflection of the curve of the façade signals the entrance, flanked by two display windows overlooking the boulevard. The basement will house the technical equipment, storerooms and a 50 space private car park. A snag-free build The 1960s building was demolished in 2008. Delayed by the 2009 economic crisis, the rebuild didn’t begin until August 2010. The architectural work is managed by two associated firms of architects, Sauerbruch Hutton, the Berlin firm awarded the contract, and the Geneva-based Fossati which is known for several remarkable constructions in Geneva (notably the illuminated building on the corner of avenue de l’Amandolier and the route de Chêne). Dominique Bakis-Métoudi of SPG Asset Development is in charge of steering the project and the technical works management is in the hands of Alexandre Girani of the engineering firm Pillet SA. Painstakingly planned, the first year of the build has gone off without the slightest hitch. Twelve months on, the builders have delivered a fully-completed seven-floor carcass on schedule, now watertight, and some of the prefabricated metal and glass panels which form the first layer of its future “dual skin” have even been put in place. Following the traditional bouquet de chantier on 20 September 2011, work will continue for one more year, during which the finishings and equipment will be installed and the brand new building will be handed over to the State of Geneva, its first tenant, in August 2012. However, from spring 2012 onwards, when the building’s enclosure and scaffolding – currently obscuring all from view – are removed, the building is sure to cause quite a stir as passers-by catch sight of the colourful, iridescent façade of a brand new Saint-Georges Center. ■

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n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

competition Seeking out the beauty in our environment

2011 SPG / hepia competition. The winners: Amandine Pinede, Philippe Kaspar, Pauline de Gorostarzu, Oscar Sampayo, Aurélie Sollberger and Jean-François Buendia.

Seeking out the beauty in our environment

or the second year running, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE put landscape and architecture students to work on derelict urban areas. This article takes a look at the winning projects.

The second “View and Review – Urban Landscapers” workshop organised by the Haute Ecole de Paysage, d’Ingénierie et d’Architecture (HEPIA – Geneva’s School of Landscaping, Engineering and Architecture) and SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE cultivated ideas for enhancing, or indeed breathing new life into, some areas of Geneva. The choice of sites in 2011 was even more courageous and the award ceremony took place last June at SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, in the presence of directors from HEPIA and the company. Also present was a representative of Pierre Maudet, Mayor of Geneva, and of course the excited winners. Working against the clock The future landscape architects and architects, working in interdisciplinary pairs, were set the task of selecting an area, understanding its challenges and then putting forward a simple or imaginative development proposal which would change the look, the function and, most importantly, the perception of the area. All this in five days. “This might not seem very long,” remarked Claude Zuber, one of the tutors in charge who was also responsible for steering the project. “But another one or two weeks wouldn’t change very much in terms of the final proposals. The aim is to have a spontaneous idea and to develop it, without changing direction halfway.” This year the site prospection took place before the start of the competition itself. The Monday and Tuesday were dedicated to finding a concept. On the Wednesday it was presented to a small panel and on the Thursday it was time to consolidate and finalise the presentation of the idea, with the help of plans, content and sketches collated onto large posters. On the Friday, a panel comprising tutors, urban planning, landscaping and architecture professionals and senior managers from SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE evaluated the nine proposals. The 18 entrants took up the gauntlet laid down by Thierry Barbier-Mueller,8

competition By Vincent Juillard

“Add a touch of glamour to make the city nicer to live in.”

From left to right: Claude Zuber, Professor at HEPIA, Thierry Barbier-Mueller, Chief Executive Officer of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE and Yves Leuzinger, HEPIA Director. n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

AurĂŠlie Sollberger et Jean-FranĂ§ois Oscar Sampayo et Pauline De GorostarzuBuendia

competition

JUNGLE URBAINE WORKSHOP SCENOGRAPHIES URBAINES

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

CONCOURS SPG - SEMAINE DU 31 AU 4 FĂ&#x2030;VRIER 2011 - SEMESTRE 5 - AURĂ&#x2030;LIE SOLLBERGER, AR3 - JEAN-FRANCOIS BUENDIA, AP3

Worshop SPG

Pauline de Gorostarz

Oscar Sampayo

PLAN DE SITUATION

Seeking out the beauty in our environment 31/01_04/02

2011

Terrasse

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31/01_04/02

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CONCEPT

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1st prize: Amandine Pinede and Philippe Kaspar. Plexiglass panels at the Pointe de Bouchet.

Oscar Sampayo

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JUNGLE URBAINE WORKSHOP SCENOGRAPHIES EENOGRAPHIES NOGRAPHIES URBAINES

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The winners The competition winners, Amandine Pinede and Philippe Kaspar, decided to put their imagination to work on the Pointe du Bouchet, at the junction of the same name. The pair took a nostalgic approach to this derelict-looking piece of land, giving it a new purpose in the process. They designed a system of vertical panels erected on both sides of the Pointe revealing an image of Bel-Essert castle which used to stand on the site to motorists as they pass. Nowadays thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little room for pedestrians in this section of the highway, but behind the series of panels a landscaped area sheltered from the traffic has been designed with them in mind. The second prize winners, Pauline de Gorostarzu and Oscar Sampayo, took another angle, selecting the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sentier des Saulesâ&#x20AC;?, a path which runs along the left bank of the Rhone just before it meets the Arve at La Jonction. Their aim was simply to highlight the extraordinary character of this portion of the path which, although the subject of a number of projects to revamp it, had become derelict UX S had come to fruition. Their idea: a luminous red line attached to the asEA none E N U N Q PA promenade HI railing to highlight this section of the river bank, from the Sous-Terre LIT O N Obridge up to the small round view-point where the two rivers meet. M

Oscar Sampayo

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2011

JUNGLE URBAINE WORKSHOP SCENOGRAPHIES URBAINES

The boldest approach There is no doubt that the award for audacity goes to the third prize winners, AurĂŠlie Sollberger and Jean-FranĂ§ois Buendia, who went... underground, choosing the walkway under the wide Avenue des Communes-RĂŠunies at Grand Lancy, between Lancy swimming pool and Les Semailles. Here again, they highlighted the uniqueness of the structure but this time didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the appeal of the surrounding area to work with. The students proposed a forest of coloured building site props, fixed between the ground and the ceiling, for pedestrians to work their way through. The props not only filled the oppressive vacuum of this infamous walkway, but also highlighted the often disconcerting lack of movement of a structure like this: who has not reflected on the loneliness of these underground passageways with the trams and lorries passing over head?

Oscar Sampayo

CONCOURS SPG - SEMAINE DU 31 AU 4 FĂ&#x2030;VRIER 2011 - SEMESTRE 5 - AURĂ&#x2030;LIE SOLLBERGER, AR3 - JEAN-FRANCOIS BUENDIA, AP3

AMBIANCE & PHĂ&#x2030;NOMĂ&#x2C6;NE DIURNE

3rd prize: AurĂŠlie Sollberger and Jean-FranĂ§ois Buendia. The underpass between Lancy swimming pool and Les Semailles.

- Autumn 2011 - nÂ° 29

The locations selected by the other candidates included the Promenade des LavandiĂ¨res between Les Halles de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ile and the BĂ˘timent des Forces Motrices, the Passage des Grottes, the Promenade de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Observatoire, the Place des Grottes, the Quai du RhĂ´ne opposite Seujet and a portion of the Route des Jeunes beside Place de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Etoile. A feat of imagination and freedom of expression, the nine proposals must be credited with raising the question of urban development and specifically what it can bring to areas dismissed as ordinary and of no interest. The exercise also prepares the students for competitions, something they will come across when prospecting for clients in their professional life. What better reasons could there be to repeat the experience next year? The competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main organisers, Thierry Barbier-Mueller and Yves Leuzinger, confirmed the 2012 competition. In the words of the CEO of SOCIĂ&#x2030;TĂ&#x2030; PRIVĂ&#x2030;E DE GĂ&#x2030;RANCE, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a case of continuing to â&#x20AC;&#x153;add a touch of glamour to make the city nicer to live inâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x2013;

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

dossier The agriculture that would not die

er i ss

The agriculture that would not die

obody will deny that in Switzerland, as in other countries, urbanisation is blithely eating away at our farmland. The problem is that three quarters of Swiss land is suited to little else other than rearing animals. Although some 60% of the food consumed in Switzerland is produced domestically, cantons such as Geneva are a long way off achieving that figure; and yet it is precisely in Geneva where overpopulation has reached a record level, we are witnessing housing shortages on a historic scale and infrastructures are lagging way behind. Building often means using fertile land and urban agglomerations regularly declassify arable land to enable them to build buildings, roads and amenities. With the threat of opposition and legal action looming as soon they move towards a residential area, public authorities and private developers are setting their sights on the land which grows Geneva’s favourite winter vegetable, the cardoon. At the same time, to avoid other problems, delays and legal action, ambitious mass development projects are often abandoned with a mere 300 or so properties in “small rural buildings in a beautiful country setting” being built in place of the 1,000 homes originally planned. The farmer then takes his noisy little tractor a little further away, further and further into the distance. So do we really still need farmers? With the weak Dollar and Euro, why not take advantage of globalisation? This very urban way of thinking is having greater resonance than you might think and our farmers have not really been reassured by either Bern’s efforts to reform regional planning or the 2014-2017 agricultural policy. ■ 8

Readers, your opinion is important

to us!

Do you have questions? Something to say about one of our articles? www.immorama.ch and select “Comment on an article” or email us at: redaction@immorama.ch

dossier By Thierry Oppikofer

Our interviewees: p. 26 Gilles Mulhauser, Managing Director of the Nature and Landscape Department at State of Geneva p. 27 Christophe Bosson, farmer and winegrower, Geneva p. 28 François Erard, director of AgriGenève p. 30 Bernard Woeffray, former planner for Neuchatel canton, project manager with Urbaplan p. 33 Yves Pellaux, President of Prométerre, Vaud organisation promoting the professions of the land

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

dossier The agriculture that would not die

Gilles Mulhauser

Managing Director of the Nature and Landscape Department at State of Geneva

“Limiting certain dependencies is healthy”

Questions on page 27

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

1 I think the trend is evident in several regions of Switzerland (the valley floors and the Plateau) and, in sociocultural terms, the “swing” had been towards urban dominance. The canton of Geneva has however managed to retain a very good fabric of agricultural life, both in terms of landscape and production sectors, and must take care to maintain this very high standard by incorporating the emerging urban developments. If the “invasion” has been contained in the canton then the other challenge is to avoid it spreading to other areas. 2 In my field, I’ve been impressed by the Swiss agriculture sector’s commitment to concrete ecological services, which have had a real impact on biodiversity, the environment and the landscape. Although similar results have certainly been achieved elsewhere in Europe and throughout the world, in many cases I feel the traceability of these services is still rather vague compared to the situation in our country. 3 The ideal situation would be to imagine 100% autonomy in interdependent systems like our own. For many good (economic, social, identity, environmental, etc.) reasons, the move towards limiting some of our dependencies is naturally a healthy, even vital, process. 4 Yes, farming has many roles to play in the decades to come. Some of these roles are known and their contribution to the economy can be measured, but I am more aware of the need to retain the areas of agriculture which make an invaluable contribution to society, specifically in socio-cultural terms (notions of terroir, recreational value, scenery, etc.) and from an ecological standpoint (soil fertility, biodiversity initiatives, etc). 5 The question of how to implement these is not an easy one, but a combination of measures that would preserve the multi-functionality of agriculture seems to me to be the most important point. Also the critical debate in which all parties have 8 been engaged since the 1980s. ■ Advert

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

dossier The agriculture that would not die

1 Of course. Every square metre lost is a square metre that will no longer feed the people! We too often forget that this is the prime purpose of the land. A farmer’s job is not to decorate the countryside with beautiful fields of rape and sunflowers, but to produce food. The worst of it is that often acres and acres are concreted over to build single storey industrial zones with huge ground level car parks. We’re not living in the Far West. The earth is precious and urban sprawl is catastrophic. 2 This is a vast topic. In Switzerland the desire to keep a farming sector is clear but it comes at a price. If a dairy farmer received one franc per litre for his milk, he would no longer need direct subsidies or compensation. Switzerland’s Christophe Bosson agricultural production is subject to very stringent rules and regulations. How Farmer and winegrower, Geneva do we deal with the land ownership issue, for example? A 2,5 acre plot in France’s Le Loiret region will cost CHF 8,000.– whereas the same plot costs CHF 80,000.– here. We simplify a farmer’s life when we start talking about paying him to look after the countryside rather than to produce. Supporting “Let’s reinvent organic production or helping to market the products seems to be more logical our profession” and of more use than the clearly subjective notion of landscape. 3 Switzerland is 60% self-sufficient but the population is growing, arable land is decreasing and the yield per acre is stagnating. The end result is that, in the long term, we will need to be more dependent on imports. For as long as we are a wealthy nation, we can turn to the world market to buy our food, some of which is produced under “difficult” environmental and social conditions, and at the same time pay a little money into Switzerland’s Chaîne du Bonheur solidarity fund to help the people of these same countries find food to eat. When the day comes that we have to pay a fair price for the food we import, it will hit us hard. If we don’t build in built-up areas and protect our farmland, the idea of having self-sufficiency, even relative self-sufficiency, will be a pipedream. 4 Agriculture has a primordial, vital, essential role: to feed the people. After this, I think its role in sustainable development is The questions very important and the compensation received for this purpose justified. For example, on our farm we’ve been working very 1 closely with the Service de la Faune “Wildlife Department” for – Do you think it’s true to say that cities and dif15 years now; we never plant or remove a single hedge without ferent infrastructures are progressively taking notifying the department’s experts. Our pool of knowledge to over the land to the detriment of farming? protect the environment is very important. 2 5 First and foremost we need to take steps to protect the land – What is your opinion on Switzerland’s agriculwith intelligent land development measures and strict building tural policy, particularly against the background density criteria. We also need to promote quality farming and of the European Union surrounding us and gloproduction that is kind to the environment. The seed selection balisation? and research conducted by the Station agronomique fédérale 3 de Chagrins and other organisations, in a neutral government – Do you think the notion of self-sufficiency, or at environment, guarantees high productivity levels and least a lesser dependence on food imports, is a irreproachable quality. It would be disastrous to put this into pipe dream? private hands! Everything must be done to raise the profile of 4 our products: for several years now we have been producing – The importance of agriculture has fallen in all our own pasta from our own wheat. Don’t forget that across industrialised countries.Will it still have a role to the Atlantic genetic modification has become big business and play in our country over the next 20 to 50 years and, if so, what will this role be? they use antibiotics and chlorinate their chickens... to name but a few abusive practices. We’ve managed to steer clear of these 5 practices so we now need to reinvent our profession. We can – What measures do you recommend to protect do this: take the example of Geneva wine which has in the the future of agriculture in Switzerland? space of a few years gone from being a mass produced product to a fine wine held in high esteem. ■ 8 n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

dossier The agriculture that would not die

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

1 By its very nature, urban sprawl will adversely affect the agricultural zone, and thus farming. You only have to compare a map of Switzerland’s Plateau region in the 1960s with a current map to realise this. In Switzerland, one square metre of agricultural land disappears every second and, worldwide, available arable land per head of the population is constantly shrinking. This is worrying because soil is not a renewable commodity: every violation of the land is irreversible. Yet the agricultural zone is not a stock of land to be used for urban development, it is there to provide essential food for the population. On the other hand, agriculture should not be pitted against the building of François Erard homes. Urban sprawl is not a future to which we are all doomed! We need to look at other options, specifically densification. We need to build cities Director of AgriGenève within cities. 2 Switzerland’s agricultural policy is very stringent. Our farmers must adhere to the most exacting production standards in the world. This guarantees consumers high quality products which are manufactured under very strict “Agriculture should not social, animal rights and environmental standards. And I fully agree with that. However these standards add to production costs so we can no longer be pitted against the support the agricultural policy when it demands that farmers continue to building of homes.” produce according to Swiss standards but at the same time sell at prices which compete with those of competitors’ products imported from the EU or the New World, where the production standards are more lax, even blatantly unacceptable in some cases. 3 In food terms, Switzerland is about 60% self-sufficient, which means it relies on imports from outside the country to meet 40% of its food needs. This dependency is the highest of all the OECD countries. Due to climatic constraints there are some products, such as citrus fruits and rice, which we can’t produce so it is fanciful to want to achieve 100% selfsufficiency. On the other hand, we need to maintain our current percentage for food safety reasons. A responsible The questions country cannot trust other countries to feed its population. 1 4 Agriculture meets a basic physiological need of each – Do you think it’s true to say that cities and diffehuman being: the daily provisions, in the form of food, rent infrastructures are progressively taking over of the calories we need to survive. This is something we the land to the detriment of farming? often forget in these days of plenty! This basic role will remain for as long as the human species is in exist2 ence. Food farming will take on a greater significance in the – What is your opinion on Switzerland’s agricultural near future with the explosion of the world’s population. policy, particularly against the background of the Every hour there are 8,000 more mouths to feed on our European Union surrounding us and globalisation? planet. Agriculture’s role in terms of food production will 3 not diminish in the future, neither in our country nor – Do you think the notion of self-sufficiency, or at elsewhere. Quite the contrary! least a lesser dependence on food imports, is a 5 With the exception of a few niche products, Swiss farmpipe dream? ers do not produce for export. They must increase their 4 presence on the domestic market. To return to the first – The importance of agriculture has fallen in all interview question, which refers to cities invading the industrialised countries. Will it still have a role to countryside, the solution for the future of Swiss Agriculplay in our country over the next 20 to 50 years and, ture could be a contract between the City and the if so, what will this role be? Countryside. In this contract, the Countryside would have 5 to promise diversity, quality and availability of products in – What measures do you recommend to protect the local sales channels. In return, the Town would commit the future of agriculture in Switzerland? to buying a certain volume of products at prices which cover the farmers’ production costs. Now that would be a win-win situation! ■ 8 28

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dossier The agriculture that would not die

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

1 I don’t think we can talk about an urban invasion when you consider that currently only 8% to 10% of Switzerland can be described as urbanised in the true sense of the word. Even if we include the “non-urban” infrastructures (roads, bridges etc.), the percentage land use is normal, natural if you can call it that, for various human activities. As regards the claim that the city is advancing on the countryside at the rate of “one square metre per second”, we forget that public parks, gardens and municipal green spaces, for instance, are included in this square metre of so-called “concrete jungle”. If we are to believe the official line, Geneva has become completely urbanised which is not the impression you Bernard Woeffray get when you look at a map or take a walk in the Geneva countryside. Indeed, Former planner for Neuchatel canton, there is an inevitable, necessary change taking place but this has always been the case. The city is under development, there are peripheral areas where vilproject manager with Urbaplan las, followed by buildings, are popping up. It is the rate of change and where the developments are happening that is the issue. It is predicted that Switzerland’s population will grow from eight to ten million over the next 20 or 30 years and so urbanisation will increase to 12% or 14%. “There is no 2 The Federal Council’s agricultural policy seems to me to be very well thoughturban invasion.” out. It requires Switzerland to remain as competitive as possible in the face of increasing pressure from the wider European market. The remuneration strategy is intelligent. Besides, the Agricultural Report which came out very recently shows that there are increasing numbers of small farms (under 7.5 acres) and they are producing high yields, particularly in market gardening. The very large farms (over 50 acres) are also faring well but more medium-sized farms are disappearing. This shows that the “fallout” is limited. Critical size or specialisation is the key to survival. 3 Switzerland is too small to achieve self-sufficiency and it does not produce the necessary quantities or variety of products to cover all The questions its needs. Besides, consumers wouldn’t agree to higher prices to 1 ensure local provenance. In fact, when people say they want the – Do you think it’s true to say that country to be more self-sufficient, they mean they want as much cities and different infrastructures are local urban agriculture as they need. progressively taking over the land to the 4 Agriculture has a huge role to play! First of all, production: obviously detriment of farming? some of the food we eat must be produced in our country. Then, safety: any plot of land which is not worked and not maintained 2 becomes a danger. Not cutting back vegetation on the slopes causes – What is your opinion on Switzerland’s avalanches; there is also the danger of landslides, erosion and of agricultural policy, particularly against forests disappearing. Farmers are responsible for all these things too the background of the European Union surrounding us and globalisation? as they fall under what the Confederation calls “protection of the countryside”. Finally tourism: we can’t have the countryside close 3 down because nobody is looking after it. The first of these criteria is – Do you think the notion of selfgenerally considered to be the most laudable but each of the three is sufficiency, or at least a lesser dependence essential in its own way. on food imports, is a pipe dream? 5 I am not worried about the future. The day when we die of hunger because farming can’t produce enough to feed the population is a dis4 tant prospect. Today less of the land is farmed and the population has – The importance of agriculture has fallen in all industrialised countries. Will it still grown significantly but technology has kept up. In my view, supply have a role to play in our country over contracts such as those entered into between Bern and farmers the next 20 to 50 years and, if so, what should be extended to all private and public partners, meaning the city will this role be? would pay the country for services rendered. We need to view the future in terms of one side working with the other and not one against 5 the other. There is no battle between urban spaces and agricultural – What measures do you recommend to land, they are interdependent. So, through partnership and sharing protect the future of agriculture in rights and responsibilities, the city and the country can continue to Switzerland? develop and work together for the prosperity of the country. ■ 8 30

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dossier The agriculture that would not die

1 “Invasion” is slightly too strong a word for it but there are clear signs of urbanisation putting pressure on arable land, which is particularly marked in the Lake Léman Arc area and up in Northern Vaud. There’s a feeling that councils are more likely to declassify agricultural zones than to build in built-up areas. Families want villas with 800 square metres of garden. Nowadays attitudes are changing to a certain extent but the phenomenon is nonetheless worrying. Could we, for our part, place more value on agricultural land? Not always because we need diversity and we can’t overexploit one particular crop which neither meets Swiss demand nor the needs of sustainability. Don’t forget that 75% of the land in Switzerland is only suitable for grazing and thus the Yves Pellaux production of milk and meat. The idea of becoming vegetarians, a suggestion President of Prométerre, an organisation we sometimes hear, is not enough. Not only is urbanisation expanding in low- in the canton of Vaud promoting the lying areas, but forests are also gobbling up the mountain pastures which were professions of the land. lamentably stripped bare by our ancestors in the 18th century little by little. 2 There are two ways of looking at it. There’s the view of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture and the Economy (Office fédéral de l’agriculture et de “Production must be d’Economie suisse), which works on the premise that there is a market and we valued and deserves more need to be competitive, and there is ours. We believe that watches, bikes and recognition” cars are market products which, if need be, we could do without but eating is a basic need. There are a billion starving people in the world. Each time Switzerland buys wheat on the international market that is one lot less for countries like Ethiopia who struggle to pay the same price. Rather than this illusory “big market”, let’s have countries grouped into geographical zones according to their average income and these countries can buy from within their own zone. This would be significantly more ethical and above all more intelligent. Why do you think immigrants are flocking to Lampedusa? The questions 3 At the moment it’s a utopian ideal but we can at least ensure we source as much as possible locally and be prepared to react if the 1 goalposts should change. Today, he who pays the piper calls the tune – Do you think it’s true to say that and we tell ourselves we are rich. But it can all change very quickly. cities and different infrastructures are Don’t forget that when wheat exports from Russia suddenly stopped progressively taking over the land to the a few months ago the price of bread shot up and this was a not detriment of farming? insignificant factor in triggering what we are calling the Arab Spring. People take to the streets when food becomes too expensive. 2 – What is your opinion on Switzerland’s 4 In terms of gross domestic product and employment, agriculture agricultural policy, particularly against has a small part to play. But we need to put it into context in the the background of the European Union middle of the chain with buildings, machinery and plants on one side surrounding us and globalisation? and the food industry on the other. If agriculture disappears, all this will disappear too and at the same time untended land will cause 3 serious problems. Once land has been left abandoned it will be – Do you think the notion of self-sufficiency, difficult, if not impossible, to put it back into production should the or at least a lesser dependence on food need arise. imports, is a pipe dream? 5 I think production must be valued and deserves better recognition. 4 Receiving a salary for maintaining the landscape is less gratifying – The importance of agriculture has fallen than knowing you’ve produced a useful product which people like. in all industrialised countries. Will it still Take milk for example. It is perceived as a mass-produced product have a role to play in our country over the and there is a clear message that the Danes and Germans produce next 20 to 50 years and, if so, what will this it at a lower cost. This is de-motivating for Swiss producers whose role be? hourly rate is low and overheads constantly rising. Transporting agricultural produce from one end of Europe to the other consumes 5 – What measures do you recommend to too much fuel and damages the environment in the process. It is protect the future of agriculture in time we understood that consuming local produce is an effective Switzerland? sustainable development measure. Fortunately more and more people are realising this. ■ 8 n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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dossier mmodossier

Les écoles monde The agriculture that woulddunot die

erd i ssinue t

D con

To protect farming, let’s be creative !

he preservation of farmland is a hot topic throughout the world and the reasons for this are well known: population explosion, rapid urbanisation, climate change and the development of biofuels to name but few. As the Manager of a Chinese investment fund specialising in agriculture tells us further on in this article, “agriculture has become a good investment”. The harsh evidence of this has been the sudden rise in the price of commodities. In the background the fear of an imminent food crisis is taking hold. By way of a solution, many countries are engaging in campaigns to defend their food sovereignty. But what type of agricultural projects do we really need to come up with for local populations in this global context? As we will see in our ImmoAroundtheWorld and ImmoWeb+ (www.immorama.ch), each country has its own response. Changing the model For some time now, imaginative projects have been mushrooming in several cities worldwide with the creation of rooftop farms, hightech gardens and even real urban farms. Vertical farms are springing up out of the ground*. These local, very environmentally-friendly farming methods, loved by residents, are gaining momentum. To achieve economic development and not lose sight of food safety, the solution is no longer simply to build only in built-up areas and preserve the arable land. You need to be creative. The world is changing; it’s no longer a case of farmers versus city dwellers. The time has come for exchange, the sharing of experience and knowledge and equitable collaboration between all countries of the world. Welcome to agriculture 2.0! ■ 8

Readers, mmodossier L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! your opinion is important

to us!

Do you have questions? Something to say about one of our articles? www.immorama.ch and select “Comment on an article” or email us at: redaction@immorama.ch

dossier Dossier compiled by Christine Esseiva

AroundtheWorld Contents p. 36 China p. 37 Australia p. 39 Tanzania p. 40 Montreal

*This project won the Gold Medal at the 2009 Geneva Salon des Inventions (see IMMORAMA Nº 26 Spring 2010)

See also

web+ Rest of world on our website: www.immorama.ch “Library” n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

dossier The agriculture that would not die

China: Farmers are losing out big-time in the conflict between food safety and economic development By Emilie Torgemen China

“With the need to feed 22% of the world’s population from a mere 7% of the arable land, China is increasingly looking towards importation.”

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Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

China’s rapid urban growth and economic development is making demands on its land, land which is also needed to guarantee food safety. The decline in arable land is making the challenge more and more difficult. An increase in imports is inevitable but the “delocalisation” of farming seems also to be another solution under consideration. In Xianghe county, villagers are up in arms against the local government which is taking more and more of their land to sell to developers or to turn into factories and building developments. Chinese law states that the land is the collective property of the village. Local authorities distribute it according to the number of families, which allows the least scrupulous civil servants to requisition some in the name of “the public interest” and convert it to building land which is much more profitable for the local government and its intermediaries. Finally Peking has woken up to the problem. The government stipulates that a minimum of 1.8 billion mu (some 164,736,920 acres) must be under cultivation to guarantee food safety but they’ve almost crossed the red line. In February 2010 there remained 1,826 million mu of farmland being exploited. In response, the government introduced a rural densification experiment back in 2008; this meant moving farmers into high tower blocks to allow for reconstruction of the fields. According to the China Economic Times the experiment was largely abused. Farmers cannot be forced to join the programme against their will and they must be adequately compensated and properly re-housed. The profit from the sale of the land made available for construction must go back to the farmers and be “used to build the village and its basic infrastructures”. But in the coastal province of Jiangsu, a dozen or so inhabitants of Batou were admitted to hospital following clashes during a compulsory re-housing exercise. Their village was razed to the ground and replaced by a few dozen skyscrapers with apartments which were being sold at a higher price than their previous homes. A young 35-year old woman who couldn’t afford a new home committed suicide. “Very often the local governments have links with the developers and the police will do nothing to help the farmers,” explained Hu Zhe Tie, a lawyer specialising in expropriations. “We’re seeing a continuous decline in the availability of arable land caused by profiteering officials.” Buying land With the need to feed 22% of the world’s population from a mere 7% of the arable land, China is increasingly looking towards importation and has set its sights on another riskier strategy: delocalisation, in other words buying arable land abroad. In April Peking published a “programme for economic and technical cooperation abroad” in which agriculture is becoming a key sector. It’s a new initiative and a sign that the Chinese government is officially encouraging its companies to buy, rent or operate agricultural land overseas. Back in 2008 the Agricultural Minister made a similar proposal before backtracking when it caused an international outcry. “With climate change, demand for biofuels and the growth of the world’s population, agriculture has become a good investment,” explains Liu Hailing, Director of Fu En De, an investment fund specialising in agro-foodstuffs; “China is filling in the gap in terms of capital, technologies and managerial skill. It’s a win-win partnership.” That may be the case, but the rental or purchase of a country’s land by a foreign government or company is a politically sensitive issue. Last year the Chongqing Grain Group announced the largest ever foreign agricultural investment, the injection of Euro 269 million to create a soya plantation. The immediate consequence was a bill to prohibit the sale of Brazilian land to foreigners. ■ 8

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mmodossier dossier

Les écoles monde The agriculture that woulddunot die

Australia: The fear of shortages is gradually setting in

The sensitive topic of land sales to foreigners regularly makes the headlines in one or other of Australia’s newspapers. In Queensland in the late 1980s, the mmodossier purchase of land by Japanese investors to build vast hotel complexes and L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! luxury retirement homes angered some politicians and leaders who decried the danger of a Japanese invasion. Twenty years later it transpires that these investments have largely benefitted Queensland and Queensland’s land register reveals that a mere 2.56% of the land has been sold to foreign companies. However, the red hot topic of the moment is the non-existence of a national organisation to check and register all sales made to investors living outside Australia. At present, if a foreigner wants to buy farmland in Australia and his investment does not exceed 231 million Australian dollars, there will be no questions asked and his purchase will not necessarily be registered. One of the directors of the Foreign Investment Review Board, a Treasurycontrolled organisation which keeps a check on foreign investments in land and property, recently admitted to a senatorial commission that a foreign company could indeed buy a whole district, farm by farm, without his department even being notified of the purchase. The legal framework is much more clearly defined in New Zealand, where any purchase by a foreigner of land exceeding 5 hectares (12 acres) is subject to a review to check it is not against the national interest.

By Florence Decamp Australia

“There is no national organisation to check and register all sales made to investors living outside Australia.”

A few months back the purchase of 43 farms around the village of Gunnedah, 500 km from Sydney, by the Chinese state mining company Shenbua, not to farm but to prospect for coal underground, once again added fuel to the fire and rekindled Australians’ fear of being stripped of their land. The Gunnedah farmers were not complaining, however, because the price of their farms shot up to sometimes ten times what they could have expected under different circumstances. A dream come true for a number of farmers who, after such a difficult few years of flooding and drought, were crying out for offers from China, India and Singapore, countries which are increasingly investing in Australia. “In China, dairy products from Australia and New Zealand are considered the best in the world,” explained Mr. Cheng, whose Australianbased company Fukushoku exports powdered milk to China. He also affirms that Australians have nothing to fear from his compatriots’ investments. This mantra has been reiterated by the Australian government which confirms that investments should not be discouraged because they make “an important contribution to the growth and development of the agriculture sector.” Yet the hunger of foreign companies for Australian beef, sugar and rice is starting to raise a different type of concern, not so much from xenophobia but from a fear of shortage. A concern that is not without foundation, as the Australian writer, Julian Cribb, explained in a book published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). In his book, The Coming Famine, Cribb reminds us that in 50 years’ time, the world’s population will no doubt have exceeded the 11 billion mark and, to feed it, it will be necessary to double current food production. The wars of the future will be about bread and water. In Australia, which has always been a land of plenty, concern is beginning to emerge that “food safety” could possibly be compromised, even threatened. ■ 8

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mmodossier dossier

Les écoles monde The agriculture that woulddunot die

Tanzania:

The SunBiofuel plantation, 80 kilometres north of Dar Es-Salaam (Tanzania) stretches as far as the eye can see. On hills stripped of all vegetation, dozens of mmodossier workers bent over in the sun are marking out furrows in the soil. They are L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! planting the precious seed: jatropha. In ten years’ time the toxic fruit produced by these trees will be used to make biofuel, the energy of the future. The industrialised countries encourage the production of biofuel in preparation for the post-oil era. It is thought that by 2020, 10% of the fuel used for transport in Europe will be biofuel. To achieve this figure it is estimated that 70% of European farmland would have to be turned over to producing biofuels. This figure is unrealistic and would endanger the food safety of the Old World. We therefore need to look towards the developing countries, Africa in particular. SunBiofuel, a British company, was established in 2005 and in the following year its directors signed a contract with the Tanzanian government for a renewable By Sophie Bouillon term of 99 years. Under this contract, SunBiofuel rents 8,000 hectares (just Tanzania under 20,000 acres) of land, a plot the size of 12,000 football pitches, for a mere $25,000 per annum. In Mozambique SunBiofuel owns twice as much land “Africa is the ideal conti(some 15,000 hectares or 37,000 acres). These are the first two African countries to attract foreign investors for nent for biofuels. The land is biofuels. “We have invested $20 million in Tanzania,” Peter Auge tells us. “It will underutilised and labour is take us a few decades before we see a return on our investment.” The German very cheap.” airline Lufthansa could become its biggest customer and SunBiofuel has every intention of renewing its contract at the end of the 99-year term. Jatropha will be planted on the hillsides for several hundred years. “Africa is the ideal continent for biofuels. The land is underutilised and labour is very cheap,” declares a proud Bernit Pavitt, President of the South Africa-based jatropha lobby. Inexpensive indeed. SunBiofuel workers are paid $2.5 for a nine-hour working day. There are one million hectares (2,470,000 acres) also available in Brazzaville, Congo, and Bernit Pavitt is trying to attract investors to this new Eldorado: “Land is governed by usage rights and it’s up to the chiefs to decide what they want to do with it.” In most African countries the land has in fact been governmentowned since their independence. But they are governed by traditional laws under which the village chief decides who is allowed to settle on the land. “There is a huge legal loophole,” explains Sylvie Brunel, geographer at the Sorbonne and specialist in sustainable development issues. “The absence of the concept of private ownership we are familiar with in Europe means anything is possible, including land grabbing.” In Mozambique the Uniao nacional de Camponeses (National Union of Small Farmers) denounces this practice in its 2009 report Jatropha, a socio-economic pitfall for Mozambique: “Large companies and our governments are taking advantage of local conflicts and corrupting village chiefs in order to take over land without consulting the local community.” The FAO (Food & Agriculture Organisation) claims that 60 million hectares (some 148,262,620 acres) of African land have already been sold or rented to foreign companies for biofuels or for cultivating produce for export. This represents an area of land 15 times the size of Switzerland. The biofuel companies deny they are reducing the production of staple foodstuffs on the continent because, as Peter Auge of SunBiofuel tells us, “there was nothing here except for trees and squatters who came to make charcoal. We are contributing to the country’s development by employing 500 people.” But, in 99 years, when the first cycle of the company’s contract comes to an end, Africa will have over 2 billion inhabitants. The governments need to consider real agricultural projects for their local populations. At the rate of current developments, there may no longer be any land available. ■ 8

Biofuel is gobbling up African land

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

dossier The agriculture that would not die

Montreal :

Taking over the roofs to feed the cities

By Isabelle Paré Montreal

“Agriculture 2.0 is the only hope we have of feeding the world.”

Montreal. Glasshouses on the roof of the building.

Rooftop farms. To reduce the weight of the glasshouses, no soil is used.

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

A green halo set against the winter sky. On the roof of a building, in an industrial zone of Montreal, thousands of young plants grow in snow-swept glasshouses. Lufa Farms, the world’s first commercial rooftop farm, has since January 2011 been nurturing nature in the city centre and sowing the seeds of a small agricultural revolution. Spanning an area the size of a football pitch (2,900 square metres), this high rise farm can produce up to ten times more vegetables than a traditional farm using half the energy. All this made possible by the combined ingenuity of agronomists, engineers and architects. This high-tech garden is the stroke of genius of the young visionary Mohamed Hage, an ecologist and computer specialist who dreamt of fresh, succulent local produce. His objective: to ban the use of fertilisers and pesticides whilst reducing the carbon emitted on the average 2,500 kilometre journey transporting foodstuffs from the fields to the tables of North America. “85% of the vegetables eaten in Montreal come from Mexico, California and even further afield,” he tells us. “To reduce carbon emissions and eat better produce, we need to produce it here where it is needed. Agriculture 2.0 is the only hope we have of feeding the world.” High-tech garden The founder of Lufa Farms, who controls the energy curtains that modulate the heat inside the glasshouses from his iPhone, refers to his city gardens as the electric car of tomorrow. Sheltered from the elements, the vast climatecontrolled, carefully-tended vegetable garden produces 40 varieties of vegetables and herbs in a laboratory-like environment. To enter this “jungle in the sky”, visitors must don overalls and overshoes and then dip their soles into a bath of sterilising fluid. In one of the glasshouses Martinus Van Poppel, a biological pest control expert, is overseeing the work of beneficial ladybirds. Further into the garden bumble bees are pollinating aubergine plants which are almost 3 metres high. The gardeners harvest the vegetables from carriages which run along rails between the rows. To keep the farm “light as a feather” for its rooftop location, the plants are grown in coco fibre substrate instead of soil. The handpicked cultivars are trained to vertical wires and drip-irrigated using oxygen-filtered rainwater. Still very much in their infancy, these “Gardens of Babylon” already produce 4,800kg of vegetables and herbs each week which are delivered to 2,000 people at 30 drop-off points in different parts of the city. A win-win situation: in winter the glasshouse uses the heat emitted from the building and the building has cut its heating bills by 25% thanks to its green insulation. By developing more and more high-rise farms, Mohamed Hage thinks it is possible to supply populations with local produce and reduce urban heat islands at the same time. “Over the next five years we hope to build an additional four or five larger glasshouses which will each feed 5,000 to 6,000 people. The formula could also be used in the overpopulated developing countries,” explains the man who now wants to sell his technology to other cities in America, Asia and Europe. Taking his inspiration from his native country, Lebanon, where lufa is grown on rooftops to keep houses cool, Mohamed Hage is not the only one who believes in the future of this new form of urban agriculture. Gotham Greens, a smaller rooftop farm in New York, supplies lettuce and herbs to several businesses in Manhattan and one of the restaurants of the top chef Mario Batali. Ironically, the very location used by Lufa Farms to grow its luscious produce was once where the best farming land in Montreal was to be found. “I think it’s a good way to give back to nature what it has lost and revert to a much more natural method of farming,” the modern-day farmer tells us. ■

Restaurant «Le Vignoble Doré»

Route du Mandement 332 - 1281 Russin (Genève) Tél.: 022 754 11 13 - Fax: 022 347 80 36

Fermé dimanche soir et lundi www.vignobledore.com

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Maintenance Service de dépannage Rénovation 43, av. de Châtelaine / 1203 Genève T 022 796 47 73 F 022 796 36 86 E curchodfilssa@bluewin.ch

IMPRESSION TRADITIONNELLE

www.imprimerieites.ch 6, rue de la Mairie 1207 Genève Tél. 022 736 52 21 Fax 022 735 52 01

BERNARDINO

S.àr.l.

NÇ PAR AG QU E ET S MO QU ET T NE ES TT OY A

IMPRESSION • TRADUCTION • EDITION • SERVICES NUMÉRIQUE

ENTREPRISE DE REVÊTEMENTS DE SOLS

13, PROMENADE CHAMPS-FRÉCHETS 1217 MEYRIN

E-MAIL : rod-ber@bluewin.ch TÉL.: 022 782 45 67 - FAX : 022 782 45 78

Installations Thermiques - Maintenance Etudes - Réalisations - Dépannages

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

no 21 - Automne 2007 -

relocation The Residential Rentals Department: specialising in housing expats

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

Settling in a new country. When expats arrive in Switzerland, the Residential Rentals Department’s job is to find them a home in Switzerland fast.

The Residential Rentals Department: specialising in housing expats

hen expats arrive in Geneva to take up a senior position, they face the challenge of building a comfortable life for themselves in the city. Of the long list of questions which have to be addressed, housing is naturally a priority. In their quest to find the ideal house or apartment for these people, HR managers and letting companies often consult SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE and its Residential Rentals Department.

Over the last few years, rapid globalisation has led to a new specialism in the business world: relocation. Companies need to transfer skills between their head offices and subsidiaries and, in order to do so, it is increasingly common for them to send their senior managers on short term assignments or for longer periods of time to other countries, both near and far. Of course, it is important to them that the relocations are handled efficiently and the particular wishes and needs of the employees and their families are taken into account. A speedy, trouble-free move is the best way– to ensure that the relocated employee returns to maximum productivity as soon as possible. The Residential Rentals Department found itself having to specialise to accommodate this very specific demand, which has been growing rapidly over the last few years. Three main selection criteria The search for a home is of course of primordial importance to expats. Generally their companies allocate them a budget which they are free to use as they wish. Their key search criteria are, in order of importance: schools, proximity to the workplace and a central location. In each of these areas SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE’s Residential Rentals Department can pass on its in-depth knowledge of the local area to help them make an informed choice. 8

relocation By Claire Vaudremont

“The apartments on offer range from the modern home in a small rural apartment block to a large apartment with decorative ceilings in an old quarter of the city.”

■

Find out more:

Residential Rentals Department

société privée de gérance

Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 61 50 Fax +41 22 849 61 81 E-mail : locresid@spg.ch www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

relocation The Residential Rentals Department: specialising in housing expats

“SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE’s Residential Rentals Department acts as intermediary between the owners and tenants, arranging a large number of viewings to help expats find the apartment or house of their dreams.”

Owners, do you have a high quality home or apartment for rent? We offer: Personal consultations  Fast estimates  Irreproachable property management 

Call our advisors on Tel. 022 849 61 50 for no-obligation advice

Email: locresid@spg.ch

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

In terms of proximity to the workplace, or rather the ease of the daily commute, here again the Residential Rentals Department is on hand with sound advice and even a very welcome assessment of the travel situation in the France-Vaud-Geneva conurbation. New arrivals in Geneva have a marked preference for a home near the city centre, where most of the amenities, services and a city lifestyle are to be found. This preference for the heart of the city centre is equally valid for houses and apartments and, in actual fact, is not exclusive to expats. Genevans also tend to like city living, which means that property prices rise the closer you get to the centre. From semi-detached houses to luxury homes SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE’s Residential Rentals Department acts as intermediary between the owners and tenants, arranging a large number of viewings to help expats find the apartment or house of their dreams. After having a first look at the property, the families often return for a second visit with their children. The range of properties is vast, from semi-detached houses, which are relatively easy to find, to luxury homes around Lake Geneva, which are definitely in shorter supply on the market. Likewise, the apartments on offer range from the modern home in a small rural apartment block to a large apartment with decorative ceilings in an old quarter of the city. Expats are well-travelled and have experienced life in many cities so they know exactly what they are looking for in a home: they like modern homes in quiet areas with neutral décor to accommodate their furniture. They also demand extremely well-equipped kitchens and bathrooms. Old apartments are also highly sought-after but these must have been renovated to a very high contemporary standard. Finally, like everyone else, Geneva’s newest residents would love a view over Lake Geneva or the cathedral, a balcony or terrace and the convenience of large, bright rooms, etc. There is a fairly regular influx of expats throughout the year. To give you an idea of the size of this market, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE’s Residential Rentals Department arranges on average six to eight viewings a day for expats arriving in Geneva. Generally demand is significantly higher in August because the majority of expats choose to move just before the schools go back and don’t tend to come later in the year. We are always happy to help extend a warm welcome to these people whose singular skills make a significant contribution to the prosperity and international renown of the city of Geneva. ■

Advert

T 078 713 92 23 / 078 609 63 70 Fax: 022 788 02 78 Rosain n29.indd 5

DÉPANNAGE

4 route de Malagnou - 1208 Genève e-mail: dominique.rosain@yahoo.com 27/09/2011 15:34:26

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

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Installations sanitaires ferblanterie sàrl h a d è s g r ah pa d h èi ss gm r ea p h i s m e

Service d’urgence 24/24 | tél. 022|885 03 85 ou 022|329 36 04

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63591_spgp_immorama_p14-57_corr.qxp:Mise en page 1

5.9.2007

11:32

Page 16

Acheter, vendre, louer… MARCEL GARIN Choisissez la rubrique “Immobilier” du journal le plus lu à Genève ! Tél. 022 807 22 11 Fax 022 807 22 33 quart-n25.pdf

29.07.2009

www.ghi.ch

16:12:04

Installation sanitaire - Gaz Ferblanterie - Couverture peinture Entretien toiture parquet

Travail à lacarrelage corde Vitrerie · Miroiterie Entreprise Générale du Bâtiment Vitrages isolants · Stores T : 022 734 25 15 M. Vlacic Nenad Route 155 9c, Mouille-Galand - 1214 Vernier / Genève - Tél. 022 341771 1226 2565 P : 079 607Tél. 45022 26 Ch. des Colombettes 2 de Certoux 1258 Perly-Certoux/GE Fax 022 771 37 - Natel 079 60 60 55594 : nvlacic@hotmail.com 1202 Genève Fax 022 341 12 27 M www.atelverre.ch

46 52 PUBLIREPORTAGE

Autumn 2011 - -Printemps 2008- -n°no29 22

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

focus SPG Intercity, national commercial property consultants

www.spgintercity.ch

The SPG Intercity Geneva team. From its office at route de Frontenex 41A in the city’s Eaux-Vives district, the team advises customers who want to let or sell commercial property anywhere in Switzerland.

SPG Intercity, national commercial property consultants

he specialist commercial rental and sales consultancy has three offices in Switzerland – Geneva, Basel and Zurich – from where clients can benefit from their experience and know-how in any part of Switzerland.

SPG Intercity, an independent agency and partner of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, specialises in the sale and rental of commercial property in Switzerland, to both a local and international clientele. Its three offices – Geneva, Basel and Zurich – together offer a broad range of skills which allow it to take account of the distinctive traits of each of these markets and at the same time offer a network of national services to businesses and companies looking for premises. Mission impossible in a country with such distinctive regional characteristics? Read on to find out... Three offices, three types of service First and foremost, all three offices offer their clients the whole range of SPG Intercity services, even if each has developed its own specialism. Geneva, for example, focuses on project management, which involves coming in when the contractor has finished and ensuring the best-possible fit-out of the bought or rented premises. As this requires specific knowledge and thus trained employees, SPG Intercity has set up a team, in Geneva in this case, which can deploy its skills anywhere in Switzerland. It might be described as off-the-shelf solutions to order. The Zurich headquarters, which runs a more traditional property business with a focus on office rental and the sale of commercial premises in the city centre, can therefore, where necessary, call upon the Geneva office to provide a project management service but at the same time maintain a close working relationship with its client. The Basel office, the smallest of the three, also operates in the property search and rental business and has preferred partnerships within the pharmaceuticals and chemicals industries, a specialist area of expertise which could be of use to the other two offices should the occasion arise. Different markets… So all three SPG Intercity offices offer their clients the same range of services but use networking to give the structure a national reach. What did it gain from setting up three different offices? “Better integration into the local markets,” according to Martin Dunning, head of SPG Intercity. 8

focus By Claude Juillard

“Geneva, for example, focuses on project management, which involves coming in when the contractor has finished to ensure the best-possible fit-out of the bought or rented premises.” ■ Find

out more:

Martin Dunning Director of SPG Intercity Geneva

Route de Frontenex 41 A CH - 1207 Geneva Tel. +41 22 707 46 80 Fax +41 22 707 46 77 E-mail : geneva@spgintercity.ch www.spgintercity.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

focus SPG Intercity, national commercial property consultants

RICS certification, a further step towards quality

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

Geneva offers a broader range of services than its sister companies in the Germanspeaking cities because the Geneva property market is very limited in size. SPG Intercity Geneva, which employs around 20 staff, has had to diversify and spread its wings well beyond the bounds of the canton itself into the whole of Frenchspeaking Switzerland. For instance, its clients range from a sports car showroom in Crissier to a watch and clock manufacturer looking for premises in the Chaux-deFonds region. The Zurich market is, on the other hand, huge. The 15 or so SPG Intercity employees concentrate their property sale and rental business primarily on the city centre and the immediate surrounding area. The Rhineland office, the most recent of the three, works under the direction of its older sister in Zurich. Its four employees target typical Basel partners whilst providing SPG Intercity with a valuable geographical presence in the area. The three offices, established in what are Switzerland’s three largest economic hubs, thus cover the bulk of the Swiss property market. …and synergies to be strengthened A SPG Intercity client can expect the same level of service regardless of his or her point of contact, from the little Basel office to its bigger sister in Geneva. To make this harmonious split work over such a large geographical distance, some internal functions have been stepped up: improved communication has meant more synergy between the people and the business they handle. A fortnightly conference call between all three offices is the perfect opportunity to share experiences, find solutions and compare notes on particular situations. Thanks to its partnership with Cushman & Wakefield (see the article in IMMORAMA nº 28 Spring 2011), SPG Intercity has experience working as part of an international network. This gives it the vital tools to operate as a national organisation while maintaining its specific regional characteristics… challenges which any company that wants to operate outside the cantonal boundaries of Switzerland has to address at some point. ■ Advert FF

RICS is an international certificate awarded by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to senior property managers who have successfully completed a period of relevant training. They have attained technical skills but also adhere to a strict code of ethics set out in twelve principles*. RICS certification has become an essential tool for advancement on the global market. The majority of senior managers at SPG Intercity have RICS certification, which enhances their credibility on the local market and gives the company kudos on the international market. The RICS programme dates back to the mid-19th century and originates in the UK; birthplace of the modern property market. Its influence now spans the globe with a lead agency on every continent. *www.joinricseurope.eu/fr/na/view/ rics-france/les-12-principes-de-la-rics

48 92

Autumn 2011 - -Automne 2008 - -n°no29 23

GG OO RR

LOCATAIRES, DÉMATÉRIALISEZ VOS FACTURES ! Grâce à son adhésion au réseau Paynet, la Société Privée de Gérance offre désormais à ses clients la possibilité de recevoir leurs factures électroniquement et de les payer par e-Banking en quelques clics seulement! Confortable et fiable, ce moyen de paiement assure un règlement dans les délais impartis tout en évitant l’accumulation de papier et la saisie manuelle des données chiffrées. De nombreuses banques sont maintenant partenaires de ce réseau. Locataires, si vous souhaitez bénéficier de ce service pour payer vos factures, contactez-nous à cette adresse: spgpaynet@spg.ch. En savoir plus sur ce mode de paiement: www.e-facture.ch et www.paynet.ch

LOCATIONS DE SURFACES COMMERCIALES: LA VILLE DE CALVIN DE PLUS EN PLUS PRISÉE Manu_n°27.indd 1

mmonews location

Période: janvier à juillet 2006

Période: janvier à juillet 2007

13/10/2010 16:04:31

Type de surface

m2 loués

Evolution en %

5 830 4 209 509 2 340

52.34% 5 745.83% 9.70%

12 888

195.39%

m2 loués

Bureaux Dépôts Arcades

3 827 72 464

Bureaux Dépôts Arcades Ecole

Total

4 363

Total

07 vs 06

L’augmentation de plus 195% des surfaces louées au cours du premier semestre 2007, par rapport à la même période en 2006, confirme la bonne tenue du secteur des locations commerciales en ville de Genève. Pour obtenir des renseignements, contactez le service des locations commerciales: spgcom@spg.ch et www.spg.ch �

ARTISANS ASSOCIÉS S.à r.l.

Gypserie - Peinture - Papier peint - Carrelage

Cité Vieusseux 9 1203 Genève

- Automne 2007 - no 21

Tél. : 022 340 15 53 Fax : 022 340 15 74 E-mail : artisans@bluewin.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

TRAVELEC Téléphone : 022 798 99 88 Fax : 022 791 06 36

Chancy / Genève

www.travelec.ch travasa@travelec.ch

- Printemps 2008 - no 22

Agencement de cuisines - Salles de bains - Electroménagers

Mariano Cuisines 26, Rue des Charmilles (Rez inférieur extérieur)

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info.mariano@marianocuisines.ch www.marianocuisines.ch Tél. +41(0)22 349 84 80 Fax +41(0)22 349 84 53 Mobile +41(0)79 300 63 89 21/09/2011 11:47:35

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

24/02/2010 09:41:34

architecture What does the Maison de l’Architecture do?

The elegant Penguin enclosure at London Zoo, created by Berthold Lubetkin in 1934. The iconic image of the new round of Maison de l’Architecture conferences.

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

What does the Maison de l’Architecture do?

New round, new President: the Geneva branch of the Maison de l’Architecture has announced its forthcoming round of public conferences on the topic of “Infra/ Super structures” which will run from October until June 2012. On the bill are architect Renato Salvi who is responsible for the most striking structures along the A16 motorway in the canton of Jura and has just published a monograph (publisher: Gollion), Jurg Conzett the civil engineer whose vertiginous alpine footbridges represented Switzerland at the last Venice Biennale of Architecture and the accomplished French architect Manuelle Gautrand who designed C42, Citroen’s dazzling window on Paris’s Champs-Elysées. A programme of first class speakers who will present their works in words and images at the Abeilles hall of the Palais de l’Athénée, which has now become the venue of choice for the still homeless Maison de l’Architecture. The student dynamic While looking for the ideal venue to house its conferences, exhibitions and administrative offices, the MA has been “temporarily” homeless since 2007. The initiative, born in 2002 from the dream that architecture would become an everyday topic, something you discussed in the pub, was the brainchild of some highly ambitious young architects. Their mission was to take architecture out of a strict business context, enhance it through the active involvement of the people who live and breathe it every day and promote exchange between established architects, like in their student days. When the initiative was born, the IAUG (Institute of Architecture) was still in existence, as was its student dynamic. A short time later it began to look for premises, organise meetings and apply for funding. With the disappearance of the IAUG, architecture needed to find a home and support began to come in, despite some setbacks on the political front. In 2007 the FBA (Fondation Braillard Architectes – Braillard Architects Foundation) and the FAI (Fédération des associations d’Architectes et d’Ingénieurs – Federation of Architecture and Engineering Associations) came on board and created 8

By Valérie Hoffmeyer

ow a popular participant in the architectural debate in Geneva, the “MA” fills all the seats at every conference it organises. The irony: it still doesn’t have a home.

architecture

C42 the Citroen window on the Champs-Elysées. Designed by Manuelle Gautrand. n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

architecture What does the Maison de l’Architecture do?

“Still a largely professional audience, so the original dream of making architecture a topic of discussion at the local pub remains a distant prospect.”

■

Find out more:

Maison de l’architecture : Case postale CH-1211 Geneva 8 E-mail : info@ma-ge.ch www.ma-ge.ch The conferences will be held at the Salle des Abeilles. Schmidt n°29-1.pdf 10/08/2011 11:40:34

the Maison de l’Architecture association. It is currently supported by local professional sections, public funding (Geneva City Council) and private benefactors (Implenia, Construction Perret SA, etc.). The association, now boasting some 200 members, changes its president on a regular basis. Matei Agarici took over from Rolf Seiler this year. Primarily a business audience With an annual budget of less than CHF 150,000 it has been organising conferences for all since 2007. They generally fill the Abeilles venue with predominantly black-clad attendees who nod their heads knowingly at the speakers’ talks and ask intelligent questions at the end of the session. Still a largely professional audience, so the original dream of making architecture a topic of discussion at the local pub remains a distant prospect. The conference venue may be less formal but you are still most likely to meet architects and town planners. Where are all the property people? This is after all a sector with close links to architectural issues. “We’re not here to discuss tenants’ rights, but we do ask participants to reflect on building performance, for example, a topic we have already looked at from an energy saving angle,” is the gist of what we explained to the MA committee. And housing, the question so important to the residents of Geneva? “This was the theme of the Spring 2008 conferences and it is also mentioned in different ways in many of the presentations. We also touch on it during some of our visits, the one to the Pâquis Centre in summer 2010 for instance, and it also comes up when we are looking at the density issue.” Another angle is engineering, which featured in the previous round of conferences on the topic of Utopias and is back in force in the forthcoming round about infra- and superstructures. Useful diary of events The MA is also to be credited for introducing a simple service which hitherto didn’t exist in Geneva: a tool (in this case a website) posting a diary of all architecture-related events. Guided tours of completed works (Sundays on foot and Saturdays by bike), conferences, exhibitions… every forthcoming event in the Geneva area is listed. With the 2,000 newsletter subscribers receiving regular reminders of future events, they are guaranteed not to miss that all-important conference. This collating and coordinating of information is very much part of what the MA is about, even though it dreams of it becoming less virtual and moving into the real world for the general public. It would like to replicate the service currently offered by other Maisons d’Architecture (FAR, Forum d’architectures Lausanne, and also the Bienne, Fribourg and Zurich Forums) in other parts of French-speaking Switzerland. In France, the extremely influential Ordre des architectes has created a network of 60 firms of architects. Geneva is still waiting for its own version of this. ■

Advert

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Exposition “Le plaisir est une histoire d'eau” 52

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- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

blatti n106.pdf 22.08.2011 10:41:08

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n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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Visitez notre 1228 Plan-Les-Ouates site www.cib.ch

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GATTO

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Gatto SA 15, rue des Grottes CH-1201 Genève

Tél. 022 733 84 00 Fax 022 734 09 14 www.gatto-sa.ch Carrelages Revêtements Mosaïques Marbres Membre de la Chambre Genevoise du Carrelage et de la Céramique

50 54

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

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signage Printed matter is taking over our cities

Adverts and signage speak volumes about our culture. In Berlin the style is frank and direct. In Buenos Aires the colourful letters have tango stamped all over them while in Montreal there’s a meeting of two cultures.

Printed matter is taking over our cities

“Driven by modern life and the arrival of computer-formatted letters, typefaces the world over are losing their uniqueness as standard fonts take over.”

What would Tokyo be without its jumble of vertical kanji or Manhattan without its neon signs? Wherever you go in the world, the personality of a city is spelled out on its shop awnings and billboards and along its main shopping streets. But for how much longer? “Nowadays the commercial lettering in any city, be it Paris, New York or Hong Kong, is made from computer-generated cut vinyl, displaying a breathtaking lack of originality. It’s the Starbucks or McDonald’s effect applied to urban graphics,” observes Philippe Lamarre. Lamarre, a Montreal designer and fan of vernacular graphics, has travelled across several cities to document typographic diversity in urban areas. The globetrotter and sign hunter has based his prognosis on observations of typeface legacy in Berlin, Buenos Aires, New York and Montreal as part of a survey conducted in several UNESCO cities of design. One year and 3,000 photos later, our word detective brings us a unique insight into the graphic personalities of these four cities which are worlds apart, both in terms of distance and urban typography. From one city to the next, the official messages and pictograms used portray, in pictures and in words, much of the essential collective psyche and preferred modes of communication of that particular city. Each city has its own typographic stamp In Berlin the message is official and to the point, often in the form of a command,” the Canadian designer tells us. “Verboten!” says you can’t walk Rex in the park or indicates a school crossing: the German pictogram, visible from a distance of many metres, doesn’t beat around the bush. It’s a totally different story in Buenos Aires where even official signs are multicoloured and a touch delinquent. Businesses use intricate and embellished letters which mimic the many moves of the tangos which can be heard from the local tangueras. 8

By Isabelle Paré

ords are all around. Pictograms, adverts, signs: the language of its signage shapes the face of a city every bit as much as its cuisine and architecture.

signage

In Montreal café signs and urban signage reflect the local culture. n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

signage Printed matter is taking over our cities

“Globalisation is beginning to creep into the numbers and letters we see in shop windows.”

In Buenos Aires echoes of the tango are even to be found on the multicoloured posters in the Argentinean capital.

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Pl ea se re of di sp m sp on e os e sib ly

“There’s a strong graphic style in Berlin where everything is straight and to the point. The typeface reflects the weight of authority. Was it not Germany that invented Bauhaus after all? In Buenos Aires the influence of “fileteado”, a very fluid and sensual graphic style inspired by the tango, is felt everywhere, even on the buses,” Lamarre tells us. In New York you are surrounded by concise graphics and public messages in imperative mood which leave no room for doubt. “Don’t even think of parking here!” or “Air will be taken out of tires, license plates removed from unauthorized parkers!” yell the capital letters of the old parking signs. Montreal, a French-speaking city in the heart of America, is rather shambolic in its approach to urban graphics. Its French roots combine with the city’s resolutely North American personality to deliver a cross-culture effect. “The typography in Montreal is a bit like its town planning, eclectic with no clear direction but influenced by the American style,” Philippe Lamarre tells us. However the eclecticism of the old adverts hand painted on the walls and the botched paintings advertising fries is slowly disappearing from the urban landscape, Lamarre confirms. “The local flavour is becoming increasingly scarce. It took me quite a while to find examples of the posters you’d see everywhere when I was a boy. The aim of the project is precisely to document these distinctive local ads and to photograph them for posterity. The graphic artist is posting his finds on the website www.graphismevernaculaire.com. Driven by modern life and the arrival of computer-formatted letters, typefaces the world over are losing their uniqueness as standard fonts take over. Globalisation is beginning to creep into the numbers and letters we see in shop windows. Are retro ads becoming the new face of urban heritage? Well in North America the lettering artists who hand-paint posters and lettering on shop windows have all but disappeared. In New York, nostalgia for retro posters and ads has seen the birth of Type Walks, which take in the ghost signs still adorning the sides of some Manhattan buildings and reintroduce the public to the typography of the Big Apple. These half-erased adverts, which at one time covered the windowless walls of the first skyscrapers, rise up like ghosts from the past. In Montreal some ghost adverts have survived in a few places in the old town and city centre. “All this will soon disappear but these signs, which enhanced and defined the landscape, are every bit a part of the city’s heritage as the crude graphics of home-made signs. Little gems hidden at street corners,” says the Canadian who is founder of the magazine Urbania. In Montreal they went to great lengths to find a lettering artist who could use traditional methods to recreate to the letter a giant advert for a pint of milk inherited from the last century. Perched on the roof of a former dairy, this vintage pint is now one of the icons of the city’s heritage, alongside its old buildings, statues and public squares. Museum of letters Philippe Lamarre is not alone in his concern for the future of the old letters which have been ousted to make way for standardised logos. In Berlin, the passion and commitment of Barbara Dechant and Anja Schulze, two collectors of urban typeface, led to the creation in 2005 of the Buchstabenmuseum, the world’s only museum dedicated to signs salvaged from shops and businesses. On Karl-Liebknecht, right beside the Alexanderplatz, this Ali Baba’s cave of forgotten letters is home to the magnificent “H” taken from Berlin’s 8

butikofer n24.pdf 02.02.2009 13:51:32

n째 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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signage

Printed matter is taking over our cities

In Berlin, the world’s only signage museum, the Buchstabenmuseum www.buchstabenmuseum.de, created by Barbara Dechant and Anja Schulze in 2005.

former central railway station. In the rather random collection, the “Rundfunk” sign from the headquarters of the East-German radio station sits alongside the retro logo of the German electronics manufacturer Blaupunkt and the sign from the legendary East-German Café Adler. This intriguing urban ABC includes both delicate sculpted wood letters and galvanised steel giants standing over three metres high, which Dechant and Schulze have saved from oblivion or salvaged from landfill. “I had my own personal collection in my apartment but I ran out of space. Then Anja and I had the idea of a non-profit-making museum. Since then we have been keeping our eyes open for businesses which are closing down and abandoned shops. People contact us when interesting items are in danger of being destroyed,” Barbara Dechant explains. All types of fonts, adorned and unadorned, the Buchstabenmuseum celebrates the diversity of print in all its forms, with focus on the quality of manufacture of the letters which are often hand-crafted. The beauty of these signs, the co-founder tells us, is that they represent more than just letters. For many a Berliner they evoke a host of images, memories and emotions. “There is a whole past attached to these urban signs. We are taking on the role of archivists because the closing down of traditional companies, in East Germany in particular, changed and standardised the urban landscape, with high-quality hand-crafted lettering disappearing from public places,” opines Barbara Dechant from the museum. Today the museum attracts a mixed crowd of visitors just as likely to be design fanatics, nostalgists, school children or tourists. ■

Bio cleaning.pdf 27/09/2011 17:10:20

Advert

revêtements de sols & nettoyage

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

e os p s di e ly e s m ib ea of ons l P sp re

IFA Agency

FRANCE: TAX ON SECOND HOMES Capital gains tax on property The Sénat passed the bill reforming the taxation of capital gains on property on 8 September, thus endorsing the changes brought in by the government. Capital gains on main homes are still exempt but there are some profound changes to how capital gains are taxed on second homes. Previously full capital gains tax was payable for a period of five years then, from year six, an allowance was applied for ten years, leading to full exemption after 15 years. Exemption after 30 years With the new measure, the property becomes fully exempt after 30 years. Capital gains tax is still payable in full for five years and a 2% allowance is applied from years 6 to 17. Then a 4% allowance comes into play until year 24, at which point the 4% increases to 8%. In year 30 the property becomes fully exempt from capital gains.* The Sénat has adopted the reform as it stands, which means it will come into force on 1st February 2012.

The IFA Agency, French subsidiary of the SPG group specialising in the sale of property in Haute-Savoie and the Pays de Gex, brings you information about the French property market.

* The figures and percentages are provided for information only and may change when the implementing decree is published.

inbrief

A BREATHTAKINGLY-BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY In Messery, France, very close to Hermance and the Swiss border, this sumptuous waterfront property boasts lawns planted with established trees, a jetty and a private beach. It is built in the heart of a huge estate overlooking the lake, at the very end of a private cul-de-sac, and completely separated from its neighbours by two dense copses. With the Swiss shores and the Jura mountains visible in the distance, fantastic year-round sunsets are guaranteed.

Where is the IFA Agency? Pays de Gex (01) Ferney-Voltaire Lake Geneva

Cointrin e

ôn

SWITZERLAND

Geneva

Annemasse Gaillard

e Ar v

Canton of Geneva

Saint-Julienen-Genevois

Haute-Savoie (74)

e Ar v

Messery property: viewers, serious and curious, attending the open viewing marvelled at the splendour and tranquillity of the estate. A peaceful haven far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Where better to recharge your batteries?

The villa, extending over an area of over 13,000 m 2 , comprises two beautiful traditional “Geneva style” houses. With solid masonry walls and tiled roofs, the main residence and its appendages are both sturdy and timeless and include several outside terraces. The master house (9 rooms plus kitchen) has the classic reception room with fireplace and old ceiling beams on the ground floor and a series of beautiful bedrooms on the first floor. The more modest annexe of 6 rooms plus kitchen, bedecked with an arbour, also has a beautiful ground-level living room with fireplace and lovely attic bedrooms. There is potential for a third building in the grounds. ■

IFA

FRANCE

IFA Agency 3, place Porte-de-France F-74240 Gaillard Tel. +33 4 50 87 05 80 Fax +33 4 50 87 08 23 E-mail : ifa@wanadoo.fr www.agence-ifa.fr Trams nos 12, 16 or 17 – Stop: Moillesulaz 5 minutes’ walk from the border

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

- Autumn Printemps 2011 2011 - n째 - n째 2928

WHEN SERVICE BECOMES AN ART

www.spgfinestproperties.ch

SEARCH & SALE OF PRESTIGIOUS PROPERTY As an affiliate of CHRISTIE’S International Real Estate, the estate agency SPG Finest Properties can offer you a unique service, the only one of its kind in the world: the purchase, sale or rental of luxury properties and objects of prestige. Enter the world of SPG Finest Properties and discover for yourself this fusion between property and art. Exclusive to Swiss Romandie.

SPG FINEST PROPERTIES r Route de Frontenex 41 A r CH - 1207 Geneva T +4122 707 46 60 r F +4122 707 46 66 r info @spg finestproperties.ch r www.spgfinestproperties.ch GENEVA r VAUD r VALAIS r NEUCHÂTEL r GSTAAD

Cologny - Gene va L a Vill a du L ac

Unusua l ly e xc ep t ion a l p ropert y f or s a l e New construction to your specifications Outstanding villa with living area of more than 1,000 sq.m. Top quality style and materials Located in one of Geneva’s prestigious suburbs Breathtaking panoramic lake views Surrounded by more than 4,000 sq.m. of greenery Inside and outside swimming pools Interior parking for 6 vehicles Unique property

Vil l a de tr è s h aut s ta n ding rare à l a ven t e Construction neuve sur mesure Villa exceptionnelle de plus de 1 000 m2 habitables Style et matériaux haut de gamme Située dans un des sites les plus prestigieux de Genève Vue panoramique sur le lac Léman à couper le souffle Entourée d’un terrain verdoyant de plus 4 000 m2 Possédant une piscine intérieure et extérieure Equipée de 6 places de parc intérieures Objet unique

- Printemps 2009 - n° 24

Contact T +41 22 707 46 60 info@spgfinestproperties.ch

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages Houses for sale

Sw im m in g

O ut st an di ng

po ol

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

1. JUSSY – Detached house of 300 m2. Living room with fireplace opening onto the terrace, dining room and fully-equipped kitchen. 9 bedrooms + 3 bathrooms. Laundry room and boiler room. Annexe with sauna, hamman and gym. Villa also boasts a terrace Jacuzzi, pétanque court and a garage. Living area: over 300 m2. Plot: 4,500 m2 plus paddock. CHF 3,400,000.–

2. COINTRIN – Pleasant terraced house built in a contemporary style. This spacious, bright property comprises 3/4 bedrooms and an independent studio. Outdoor pool. Plot: approx. 600 m2 CHF 2,480,000.–

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ch ar ac te r

O ut st an di ng

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g e n E v A S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : f o r s a l e Houses

3. VEYRIER – Villa of 240 m2 and plot of 1,580 m2. Comprised of a lounge, veranda, fully-equipped kitchen, one bedroom with en-suite shower and w.-c., 2 bedrooms (one with bathroom). A mezzanine level leads to 2 bedrooms and a games room. Converted basement comprising 2 rooms, a games room, a laundry room, wine cellar, shower room and a shelter. CHF 3,950,000.–

4.VERNIER – House of approx. 220 m2 on a plot of over 1,700 m2 in a leafy green setting in Vernier. Excellent insulation and plenty of storage. Comprised of a dining room, lounge with fireplace opening out onto the terrace, 4 bedrooms, one with balcony. Basement with cellar. CHF 1,690,000.–

5. PUPLINGE – A charming family home of approx. 200 m2 in the quiet little town of Puplinge. Built in 1985 in a tranquil, leafy-green location. It comprises a huge lounge of 50 m2 with fireplace and terrace, fully-equipped kitchen, 3 bedrooms leading onto the balcony, one of which (master bedroom of approx. 30 m2) has a dressing room, en-suite bathroom and attic area of approx 30 m2 . Converted basement of approx. 100 m2 . Adjoining lock-up garage of 25 m2 plus two outside parking spaces. CHF 1,780,000.–

6. HERMANCE – A modern house of approx. 165 m2 in the heart of the village of Hermance. It comprises a large living room with fireplace, openplan kitchen, 3 bedrooms and one bathroom. It opens onto a tropical wood terrace with excellent view and the heated swimming pool. Home cinema and plant room in basement. Adjoining 3-storey house of approx. 60 m2 requiring renovation. CHF 3,000,000.–

RESIDENTIAL SALES – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – Fax: 022 849 61 05 sale@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Have you fallen in love with a house ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

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Property pages Houses for sale

SALE

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : f o r s a l e Houses

M ag ni fic en t

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

8. AÏRE – Detached modern home of approx. 200 m2 in an exceptionally sunny, quiet spot in the family town of Aire (Vernier). Veranda, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a fully-equipped kitchen. Adjoining double lock-up garage, sauna and burglar alarm. CHF 2,250,000.–

9. HERMANCE – Villa of 280 m2 living area comprising 2 bedrooms leading onto the terrace with lake view, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and w.-c. and fully-converted basement. Also boasts a living room, dining room, fully-equipped open plan kitchen and a guest toilet. CHF 2,600,000.–

10. THÔNEX – Spacious Breccolini villa of 200 m2 built on a plot of over 900 m2 in a leafy green quarter of Thônex. It comprises 5 bedrooms (including a master bedroom), 2 bathrooms, fully-equipped kitchen, large lounge with fireplace and a dining room. Also has a basement of approx. 95 m2 and a lock-up garage. CHF 2,100,000.–

11. AIRE-LA-VILLE – Beautiful terraced house in a residential area of the charming town of Aire-La-Ville. Quiet location close to all amenities. Built in 2006, it comprises 4 bedrooms, attic space and fully-converted basement. Large paved terrace, outdoor kitchen and Jacuzzi area. The house also includes a garage and two outside parking spaces. CHF 1,550,000.–

12. ONEX – Pleasant villa with living area of approx. 155 m2 in the town of Onex. Tranquil wooded setting in a pleasant quarter of the town. Comprises 3 single bedrooms, one master bedroom, 2 bathrooms (one with w.-c.). Also includes a vast living room, functional kitchen, basement with one large room and shelter Property also has a garage. CHF 1,850,000.–

Su pe rb

7. VESSY – Built in 1914. Three-storey home full of character with living area of approx. 300 m2 comprising lounge with fireplace, dining room, library, 9 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a converted basement (sauna, carnotzet (wine tasting room), wine cellar etc.). Swimming pool and wooded grounds of 1,770 m2 . CHF 6,180,000.–

RESIDENTIAL SALES – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – Fax: 022 849 61 05 sale@spg.ch – www.spg.ch Contact us to finance it. – Tel. 022 849 61 32

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages Houses for sale

SALE

g e n t h od : f o r s a l e Houses THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

er ’én nd tio tion a m p som sum con con ble ergy i a n ,f vie r e de owe ité life, l l a qu of ure lity ille ua Me her q Hig

gie

Les patios de Genthod Group of 4 twin villas • Close to international businesses • Floor space of approx. 195 m2

NEW

• Green leafy suburb • Ideal South/West exposure • Compliance with eco standards • Modern design

UILD

• Patios/pergolas • Vast glazed façades

Handover Q4 2012. CHF 1,510,000.– to CHF 1,550,000.– RESIDENTIAL SALES – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – Fax: 022 849 61 05 sale@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Have you fallen in love with a house ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages Apartments for sale

SALE

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR SALE Apartments

tr M ip a lex gn ap ific ar en tm t en t

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

2. CHÊNE-BOURG – Immaculate double exposure 4-room apartment of 95 m2 for sale in this modern apartment block. Beautiful outlook with unobstructed view over Mont Saleve. Comprising 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, shower room and fully-equipped kitchen. The large balcony has an electric blind. There is also a cellar. CHF 1,250,000.–

Re sid en tia l

ar ea

O ut st an di ng

1. COLLONGE-BELLERIVE – Double exposure triplex apartment with 100 m2 garden and view of mont Blanc. In quiet location close to all amenities. 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Living area: approx. 300 m2. CHF 2,500,000.–

3.VERSOIX – Elegant 4-room ground floor apartment in a secure luxury apartment block. A quiet lakeside setting. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fireplace, hall opening onto the lounge and an open-plan fully-equipped kitchen. Living area: 138 m2. Lock-up garage included. CHF 1,990,000.–

4. FLORISSANT – In Champel, an outstanding 3-room apartment of 95 m2 with a panoramic terrace of over 90 m2. Offers an unobstructed view of the city and an exceptional living environment. The apartment comprises a bedroom, cellar and parking space. CHF 2,050,000.–

5. PETIT-SACONNEX – Pleasant city pad of 55 m2 in Petit-Saconnex, halfway between Geneva International Airport and the international business quarter. Lounge/living room with 11 m2 balcony, fully-equipped kitchen, bright bedroom and bathroom. Lovely outlook surrounded by vast communal gardens. Cellar and underground parking. CHF 790,000.–

6. COLOGNY – Splendid 5-room apartment of 159 m2 in the rural setting of Cologny. Located in an apartment block with swimming pool and Jacuzzi, it comprises a bright spacious living room with fireplace, 2 balconies of approx. 28 m2, fully-equipped kitchen, 3 bedrooms (including one master bedroom), a bathroom, shower room, guest toilet and laundry room. Also includes a cellar and parking. CHF 3,150,000.–

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

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Property pages Apartments for sale

Br ea t vie hta w kin g

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

2. City centre (GE) – Stylish, fully-renovated, 3-room apartment with a living area of 78 m2 in Geneva city centre. The layout combines space with functionality for a very pleasant living environment. It comprises one bedroom, a fully-equipped kitchen opening onto the living area, dressing room and bathroom. Also includes a cellar. CHF 900,000.–

3. CHÊNE-BOURG – 5-room apartment of approx. 186 m2 on the garden level of a secure apartment block. It comprises a hall, living room with garden access, 3 bedrooms, shower room and w.-c., bathroom and w.-c. Living area plus laundry room and storage room in basement. Covered and outdoor parking. CHF 2,460,000.–

4. LA PLAINE-DARDAGNY – A 5-room apartment of over 125 m2, built in 2008, offers a pleasant living environment and an unobstructed view over the surrounding countryside. It comprises a lounge, fully-equipped kitchen, bathroom, shower room and 3 bedrooms.Also includes a cellar and covered parking. Close to shops and public transport. CHF 1,090,000.–

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1. CHAMPEL (GE) – Superb double exposure duplex 10-room apartment on the top two floors of a luxury apartment block. Close to public transport, amenities and Bertrand Park. Panoramic view over the city. The rooms are bright and open onto large terraces and a balcony. Living area: approx. 300 m2. CHF 5,800,000.–

Re sid en tia l

Id e op al in po ve rt stm un e ity nt

SALE

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR SALE Apartments

5. PLAN-LES-OUATES – Beautifully laid out, bright double exposure apartment of 5.5 rooms and 138 m2 in the town of Plan-les-Ouates. Its three levels comprise a lounge/living room with fully-equipped kitchen area, 3 bedrooms, a mezzanine level, 2 bathrooms and a wet room with w.-c. Also includes a covered parking space and cellar. CHF 1,250,000.–

6.VERSOIX – Apartment in a modern block, renovated to a very high standard, in a leafy setting very close to the lake. It comprises 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a spacious living room with fireplace, 90 m2 tree-lined terrace, loggia and balcony. Basement includes air-conditioned wine cellar, cellar and lock-up garage. Living area : 211 m2. CHF 3,490,000.–

RESIDENTIAL SALES – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – Fax: 022 849 61 05 sale@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Have you fallen in love with an apartment ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages Apartments for sale

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

location

nO rooms

price

features

surface area

Apartments Champel

5 rooms

CHF 2,300,000.– Beautiful double exposure apartment in quiet surroundings. Comprises separate kitchen, dining room, lounge with access to the balconies of 2 bedrooms, one with en-suite bathroom, and a wet room. Enjoys a South West exposure. Also includes a cellar and parking space.

145 m2

Petit-Sacconex

5 rooms

CHF 2,100,000.– Beautiful 5-room duplex double exposure attic apartment halfway between Geneva Airport and the international business quarter. Comprises parquet-floored entrance with cloakroom, fitted kitchen with balcony, lounge/living room with fireplace and access to the balcony, 3 bedrooms, a bathroom with w.-c., wet room, standalone w.-c., mezzanine, attic and 40 m2 terrace. Cellar and lock-up garage.

160 m2

Cologny

5 rooms

CHF 3,150,000.– Sumptuous apartment for sale in a luxury apartment block with swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Master bedroom plus two other bedrooms, bright living room with fireplace and two large balconies. There are 2 bathrooms and also included are a cellar and basement parking. Close to shops and public transport.

159 m2

La Plaine-Dardagny

5 rooms

CHF 1,090,000.– We have a vast 5-room apartment built in 2008, which awaits you, offering a pleasant living environment and unobstructed view over the surrounding countryside. Ideal for a family. Spacious lounge bathed in light, fully-equipped kitchen, bathroom, shower room and 3 bedrooms. Also include: a cellar and covered parking space.

125 m2

Geneva city centre

3 rooms

CHF 900,000.– Smart, fully renovated 3-room apartment with contemporary décor in a city-centre shopping street. Layout incorporates space and functionality for a very pleasant living environment. Comprises one bedroom, fully-equipped kitchen opening onto the living area, dressing room and bathroom. Cellar also included.

78 m2

CHF 1,450,000.– In a popular, highly sought-after area, a villa with floor space of 82 m2 for renovation. It has a basement and a plot of around 700 m2, of which 580 m2 are suitable for building. Multiple extension possibilities.

86 m2 floor space

CHF 6,180,000.– Property comprising two houses and appendages on a plot of 2,107 m2 in a quiet, leafy green setting. The main house boasts an entrance hall, lounge with fireplace, fully-equipped dining kitchen, 3 bedrooms with balcony, a large terrace, bathroom, w.-c., huge basement and new heating system. The second building comprises 4 apartments.

160 m2

houses Vandœuvres

Collonge-Bellerive

6 rooms

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

SALE

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR SALE Apartments

Property pages Buildings for sale

w All w. o sp ur gi o m ffe m rs eu o bl n es .ch

SALE

g e n e v a A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : F o r SALE Buildings THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

1. GRAND-SACONNEX (GE) – Single office space with surface area of 600 m2 , mainly open-plan, and adjoining space of 150 m2. The premises, on the lower floor of a building in the village of Grand-Saconnex, also include a parking space. Availability to be agreed. CHF 3,400,000.–

2. LAUSANNE-CENTRE – Mixed use building built in 1575 and renovated in 1988 comprising 260 m2 of arcade space and 390 m2 for 7 homes. Ideal position in the pedestrianised area close to Place de la Riponne and the M2 metro line. Gross return : 4.64% with great potential for improvement. CHF 5,175,000.–

3. CITY CENTRE (GE) – For sale on the left bank very near the city centre, on the ground floor of a 1992 mixed-use condo (PPE), 8 4 lots of rented shopping and office spaces ranging in size from 64 m2 to 287 m2 + storerooms. Gross return of 4.92% to 6.63%. Lots from CHF 485,000.–

4. left bank – Single modern office space of 380 m2 on the ground floor of a luxury residential building. Very quiet leafy area close to the city centre with excellent amenities. Property also includes a 31 m2 storeroom and 6 parking spaces. CHF 3,900,000.–

5. EAUX-VIVES – Offices with total surface area of 428 m2 on the lower and upper floor of a mixed-use building in the immediate proximity of all the shops and transport networks in the Eaux-Rives area. Also includes 8 parking spaces and a storeroom. CHF 4,000,000.–

6. PLAN-LES-OUATES – Spacious double exposure arcade space of approx. 330 m2 over three floors. Ground floor: arcade space, kitchenette, office and w-c. 1st floor : office. Basement. Excellent visibility. Immediate proximity to transport and the motorway slip road. Available immediately. CHF 2,300,000.–

BUiLDING sales and valuations – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 54/51 – Fax: 022 849 61 04 immeubles@spg.ch – www.spgimmeubles.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

The panorama of property – www.immorama.ch

Property pages Buildings for sale

ri g h t b a n k ( GE ) : F o r s a l e Buildings

SALE

h on s.c s e l r ffe eub o ur imm o ll g A .sp w w w

So ld

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

2 apartments block for sale en SI 48 apartments over 7 floors + 26 basement parking spaces • Close to public transport and all amenities • Halfway between the station and the airport • Quiet, leafy green district • Gross return : 6.03%.

Available immediately. CHF 14,000,000.–

BUiLDING sales and valuations – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 54/51 – Fax: 022 849 61 04 immeubles@spg.ch – www.spgimmeubles.ch You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages Apartments and houses to rent

To ta ly

re st or ed

co nt em M po ag ra nif ry ice co nt ns tr uc tio n

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

2. VESENAZ – Magnificent contemporary furnished 5-room garden-level apartment of approx. 160 m2 comprising a modern kitchen opening onto the living/dining room, loggia onto the garden. Master bedroom with dressing room and wardrobes, 2 bedrooms with wardrobes, 2 bathrooms, guest toilet. Lock-up garage, parking and cellar. Available immediately. Rent : CHF

Fa m ily

M od er n

ho m e

1. VESSY – Renovated 6-room detached house of 160 m2 with garden/terrace of approx. 60 m2. New kitchen opening onto lounge/dining area, one bedroom and shower room, master bedroom with bathroom and dressing room, bedroom and shower room. Converted basement comprising one bedroom and shower room. Parking for 2 cars. Cellars. Available immediately. Rent : CHF

4. CONCHES – Villa-style townhouse of 5.5 rooms and approx. 160 m2 with garden of approx. 300 m2. Comprises a fully-equipped kitchen opening onto a bright living area, 3 bedrooms of which one with en-suite bathroom and 2 with balconies, shower room. Converted basement with guest bedroom. Large terrace with winter garden on the roof. Double lock-up garage.Available immediately. Rent : CHF

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3. VEYRIER – Twin villa of approx. 100 m2 with 5 rooms comprising fullyequipped dining kitchen, lounge with fireplace, full shower room, bedroom with balcony plus 2 other bedrooms. Fully-equipped basement. 2 parking spaces. Garden of approx. 230 m2. Available immediately. Rent : CHF

La ke

RENTAL

g e n e v a A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : F o r RE N T Apartments and houses

5. CORSIER-PORT – Charming villa of approx. 200 m2 close to the lake and 10 minutes from Geneva city centre. Fully-equipped kitchen opening onto the dining room, large living room with fireplace and office. Master bedroom with fireplace, bathroom, dressing room and terrace with lake view. 3 bedrooms with balcony access, shower room. Beautiful garden of approx. 1,747 m2. Covered parking for 2 cars. Available immediately. Rent : CHF Price range / monthly rental: CHF

1-5 000.–

6. SEZEGNIN – Detached villa, furnished or semi-furnished, of approx. 200 m2 with garden of approx. 1,000 m2. 6.5 rooms comprising fully-equipped kitchen, lounge/dining room with fireplace, one bedroom. Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and balcony, 2 bedrooms, library, bathroom. Converted basement includes kitchen-carnotzet (wine tasting room), bedroom and shower room. Covered parking for 2 cars. Available immediately. Rent : CHF 5-10 000.–

10-15 000.–

15 000.–

residential RENTALS – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – Fax: 022 849 61 81 locresid@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages House to rent

RENTAL

V É s e n a z ( GE ) : f o r r e nt House THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

Magnificent modern villa Swimming pool and view over Lake Geneva • 6.5 rooms approx. 320 m2 and lovely plot of approx. 2,114 m2 • Hall with guest toilet, fully-equipped kitchen opening onto lovely living/dining area with terrace offering beautiful lake view • Masterbedroom with en-suite bathroom/jacuzzi and dressing room, 2 bedrooms and shower room • Converted basement comprising a studio and separate 2.5 room apartment, gym, sauna and wine cellar

Available immediatly. Rent : CHF Price range / monthly rental: CHF

1-5 000.–

5-10 000.–

10-15 000.–

15 000.–

residential RENTALS – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – Fax: 022 849 61 81 locresid@spg.ch – www.spg.ch Subscribe to our Newsletters: publications@spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages Apartment for rent

RENTAL

C H Ê NE - B O U GE R I E S ( GE ) : FOR RE N T Apartment THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

Magnificent renovated villa exuding charm and elegance 9 rooms of approx. 300 m2 and enclosed plot of approx. 1,000m2 • Leafy green setting close to the tram and city centre • Hall, fully-equipped kitchen, large living room with fireplace opening onto dining room with access to garden, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms/shower rooms and guest toilet • Converted basement includes separate apartment with 2 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room, living room, kitchen area and its own separate entrance • TV room, fullyequipped laundry room, cellar and gas-powered heating system.

Available immediatly. Rent : CHF Price range / monthly rental: CHF

1-5 000.–

5-10 000.–

10-15 000.–

15 000.–

residential RENTALS – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – Fax: 022 849 61 81 locresid@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Have you fallen in love with this apartment ? – Tel. 022 849 61 50

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages Apartment for rent

RENTAL

E A U X - V I VE S ( GE ) : f o r r e nt Apartment THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

ner d’é tion ion a m t som ump con cons ible ergy a f , n vie r e de , lowe ité ual of life q ure ality ille Me her qu g i H

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Patio de Frontenex Duplex 7 room apartment of approx. 140 m2 • In Geneva city centre apartment block built in 2010 • 2nd floor apartment (furnished or unfurnished) with 25 m2 terrace • Masterbedroom with bathroom, 2 bedrooms and a shower room • Fully-equipped kitchen opening onto dining room which is partially partitioned from living room, office and guest toilet. Indoor parking • Elegant construction and quality finishings.

Available immediatly. Rent : CHF Price range /de monthly Fourchette prix / rental: mois : CHF CHF

1-5 000.–

5-10 000.–

10-15 000.–

15 000.–

residential RENTALS – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – Fax: 022 849 61 81 locresid@spg.ch – www.spg.ch Do you have offices to let ? – Tel. 022 849 62 00

n° 28 - Autumn 2011 -

bernardino n24.pdf 27.01.2009 16:23:37

berclaz nÂ°27.pdf 29/07/2010 11:31:01

BERNARDINO

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13, PROMENADE CHAMPS-FRĂ&#x2030;CHETS 1217 MEYRIN

E-mail : bernardino-sols@bluewin.ch

PA R

TĂ&#x2030;L.: 022 782 45 67 FAX : 022 782 45 78

Deal Services n29.pdf 13/09/2011 16:07:59

edouard.berclaz@bluewin.ch 12, chemin du Chasselas 1246 Corsier - GenĂ¨ve

TĂŠlĂŠphone: 022 751 08 80 Fax: 022 751 08 90 Mobile: 079 436 92 28

Fazio_n28.pdf 14/02/2011 17:21:41

FAZIO & Cie MENUISERIE - RĂ&#x2030;NOVATION DE FENĂ&#x160;TRES Entreprise gĂŠnĂŠrale de nettoyage

VITRAGES - SERRURES AGENCEMENT DE CUISINES

Av. Cardinal-Mermilod 36 t 1227 Carouge t lia@deal-service.ch t 079 815 43 30

TĂŠl. : 022 340 66 70 - Fax: 022 340 66 90 - Natel: 079 214 38 06

A.M. GIOVANNI FERRO

RĂ&#x2030;NOVATION - TRAVAUX Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ENTRETIEN - RĂ&#x2030;FECTION P E I N T U R E - PA P I E R P E I N T - C A R R E L A G E

VERSOIX PEINTURE

Route Suisse 95 â&#x20AC;˘ 1290 Versoix TĂŠl. 022 755 59 33 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 022 755 62 25 â&#x20AC;˘ Portable 079 705 24 07

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MARTINS Armando 3, rue Cavour CH-1203 GenĂ¨ve

10/08/2011 08:49:02

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- Autumn 2011 - nÂ° 29

TĂŠl. 022 797 29 04 / 25 Fax. 022 797 29 27 Natel 079 337 56 71

renovappart.am@gmail.com

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTAL

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

1. UNITED NATIONS – Close to the international organisations, in a beautiful building with parking, bright, fully-equipped offices of approx. 118 m2 and 147 m2. CHF 500.–/m²/year

2. CONFEDERATION CENTRE – In a building renovated in 2008, secure warehouse of 743 m2, without windows, located out of sight in an interior courtyard. Ideal for storing valuables, standard size vehicles (maximum height: 2 m 20). Available from 1st April 2012. CHF 850.–/m²/year

3. ZIMEYSA – Ground floor shop of approximately 66 m2 in the heart of the Rues Basses shopping district. Ideal for beauty business. No partexchange option. CHF 150.–/m²/year

4. ADVERTISING SITE IN HARBOUR AREA – At rue du Rhône 61, tenant responsible for installation and maintenance of the sign. Magnificent site and fabulous opportunity to increase your visibility. From CHF 6,250 .–/month

commercial premises – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 62 00 – Fax: 022 849 67 04 locom@spg.ch – www.spg.ch You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages >Canton Commercial premises

RENTAL

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

5. PLAINPALAIS/HÔPITAL – Lovely bright arcade space of approx. 124 m2. Ideal for a medical practice. Close to public transport. CHF 400.–/m²/year

6. CHARMILLES NEW TECH CENTER (GE) – Large bright ground floor showroom. Ideal for artisan, industrial or IT business. Large windows onto the street. Unloading bay. Basement parking spaces. CHF 350.–/m²/year

7. QUAI WILSON – Beautiful office space of 300 m2 on the ground floor of a lovely modern building. CHF 400.–/m²/year

8. CHENE-BOURG/THONEX – Very competitively priced offices of approx. 136 m2. Quiet location near to tram and shops. Not overlooked. Ideal for office space or medical practice. CHF 320.–/m²/year

commercial premises – Société Privée de Gérance R oute de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 62 00 – Fax: 022 849 67 04 locom@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Are you looking for offices in the city centre ? – Tel. 022 849 62 00

n so r ffe g.ch o ur .sp ll o ww A w

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTAL

SAENTYS/IMAGINA

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises l ful ion r Fo mat he or t t it: inf bou t vis r.ch a jec ernie v o pr w.cgbww

n d’é matio nsom sumption o c con aible vie, f r energy e té de quali f life, low e r u o Meille r quality Highe

nerg

Arcades: only 2 arcade spaces of 100 m2 and 125 m2 available for CHF 266.– /m2 Workshops: only 2 workshops of 27 m2 and 30 m2 available for CHF 200.– /m2

Coupe Gordon-Bennett Vernier, Geneva

Contractor:

Marketing:

Opposite the SIG headquarters, in a new residential area with some 300 houses, the Coupe Gordon-Bennett complex provides high quality commercial facilities for its future users. Handover: July and October 2012

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Commercial rentals Route de Chêne 36 1208 Geneva locom@spg.ch François Delaite francois.delaite@spg.ch +41 22 849 62 26 www.spg.ch

GordonBen_ang_1_sanc.indd 1

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

28/10/2011 15:39:44

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A ll w our w o w. ff sp er g.c s o h n

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTAL

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises Redefining business space for high technology and innovation

charmilles new tech center

Rue de Lyon 105 to 111 — 1203 Geneva S NIBLE

:23:47

Areas – – –

MORE T

available areas from 154 sq. m to 6,857 sq. m option to rent floors of 1,000 or 2,000 sq. m prices from 340.– / sq. m Fields of activities

– – – – – – – – –

E AVAILABL m . q s 0 0 HAN 2,5

electronics mechatronics medical graphics agrifoodstuffs information technologies construction pharmaceuticals and chemistry watchmaking

Technical specifications – – – – – – –

access control lifts and goods lifts technical false floor cooled air fibre optics truck access tunnel warehouses in the basement

Marketing SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Commercial Rentals Route de Chêne 36 1208 Geneva

+41 22 849 62 00 +41 22 849 67 04 (fax) locom@spg.ch www.spg.ch

Management SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Shopping & Business Centers Route de Chêne 36 1208 Geneva

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

cntc_fr-ang_1_sanc.indd 1

+41 22 849 62 60 +41 22 849 67 61 (fax) sbcenters@spg.ch www.spg.ch

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch 11/03/2011 21/02/2011

10:03:02

14:23:47

n h s o ty.c r ffe erci o t ur in ll o .spg A w w w

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTAL

g e n EV A : FOR r e nt Commercial premises

GENeva | FOR RENT | Les Pléiades

Divisible office space

e ’én nd atio tion m p om m ons consu le c aib nergy f , vie r e de , lowe ité ual of life q e ur ality ille Me her qu Hig

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Total surface area of 3,000 m2 divisible into lots of 688 m2 minimum • Leafy green sett ing • Plateau-de-Champel, Geneva city centre • Building under construct ion. Delivery ant icipated March 2012 • First class MINERGIE® office block

NEW

UILD

RENSEIGNEMENTS : SPG INTERCITY GENEVA — SOPHIE CARLIEZ Route de Frontenex 41A — 1207 Geneva Tel. +41.22 707 46 86 | Fax +41.22 707 46 77 sophie.carliez@spgintercity.ch | www.spgintercity.ch

Looking for offices in the city centre? Call us on +41 22 707 46 00

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

w Al w lo w. u sp r o gi ffe nt r er s o cit n y.c h

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTAL

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises

Carouge | For rent | Route de St Julien Administrat ive office space very close to Geneva

• 7,700 m2 split over ground floor, 4 floors and an att ic area • Elegant and contemporary, luxury new building • Basement storage and parking spaces

NEW

UILD

RENSEIGNEMENTS : SPG INTERCITY GENEVA — SOPHIE CARLIEZ Route de Frontenex 41A — 1207 Geneva Tel. +41.22 707 46 86 | Fax +41.22 707 46 77 sophie.carliez@spgintercity.ch | www.spgintercity.ch

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

Looking for new premises? Call us on +41 22 707 46 00

n h s o ty.c r ffe erci o t ur in ll o .spg A w w w

Property pages Commercial premises

Near the airport | Office block

Blandonnet | Luxury office spaces

Luxury, free standing office block under construct ion • Total surface area of approx. 1,200 m2 remaining. Can be divided into lots of 800 m2 minimum and fitted out to suit t he tenant. • Delivery: End 2012

Bright office spaces in an internat ional complex • 5,744 m2 split over 2 levels • On t he doorstep of t he internat ional airport and t he A1 motorway • Beside t he tram • The complex offers a wide range of services

Vernier | Administrat ive offices

Near the airport | Office block

Offices: 8,400 m2 over 3 levels, divisible into lots of 500 m2 minimum • 195 parking spaces, 75 of which are reserved for t he shopping centre • Available: January 2012 (under construct ion)

1,300 m2 of office space divided into lots of 450 m2 minimum • In a modern, bright environment • In immediate proximity of Geneva airport • Storage and parking available

RENTAL

g e n EV A A N D S U R R O U N D I NG A R E A S : FOR r e nt Commercial premises

RENSEIGNEMENTS : SPG INTERCITY GENEVA — SOPHIE CARLIEZ Route de Frontenex 41A — 1207 Geneva Tel. +41.22 707 46 86 | Fax +41.22 707 46 77 sophie.carliez@spgintercity.ch | www.spgintercity.ch

Our full property portfolio at www.spgintercity.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Property pages Apartments and commercial premises for sale

SALE

v aud : f o r s a l e Apartments and commercial premises

A w ll o Tou w uorf te w. fro s argy effs no etzn esrus s .ceo ro -m ifa n .fr

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

1. NYON – Magnificent double exposure gabled penthouse apartment of 4.5 rooms + kitchen. Excellent quiet location close to the centre, public transport and schools. Surface area of approx. 168 m2 + 2 terraces of a total 17m2 and cellar or approx. 12 m2. Interior parking space. Currently rented out. CHF 1,680,000.–

2. NYON – Magnificent apartment of 6 rooms + kitchen in a perfect spot in Nyon, beside the town centre, secondary school and all amenities. With its many bedrooms and large living areas, it’s an ideal family home. It opens onto a fabulous South West facing terrace (approx. 65 m2). Currently rented out. CHF 1,750,000.–

3. COPPET – Located in the Résidence des Perrières in a fabulous park North East of the village, magnificent penthouse apartment of 3.5 rooms + kitchen with large terrace offering an unobstructed view of Lake Geneva and the Alps. Recent, excellent quality contemporary build. Open, tranquil environment close to shops, schools and the station. CHF 1,950,000.–

4. COPPET – Bright luxury penthouse apartment of 5 rooms + kitchen located in the Domaine des Perrières residential estate North East of the market town of Coppet. Enjoys a beautiful quiet, wooded setting close to the lake. Living area of 200 m2 + large terrace (200 m2). Currently rented out. CHF 2,800,000.–

5. NYON – Commercial property of approx. 35 m2 in the lower regions of Nyon close to its Rive quarter. Large car park a few minutes’ walk away. Property is located in a mixed use (housing and shops) condominium (PPE). CHF 490,000.–

6. FOUNEX – Beautiful commercial property of approx. 200 m2 with 4 lock-up garages in a quiet residential area. Close to the Coppet motorway exit. Built it 1990 and renovated in 2007, the property is part of a condominium (PPE). CHF 1,400,000.–

Sales department – rytz & CIE S.A. Avenue A.-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax: 022 36 36 020 vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

Our full property portfolio at www.rytz.com

on s r m ffe .co o z ur .ryt o ll w A w w

Property pages Houses for sale

sale

v aud : f o r s a l e Houses THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

2. CRANS-PRÈS-CÉLIGNY – Beautiful twin villa of 6.5 rooms + kitchen. Living area of approx. 318 m2. Quiet and sunny situation. Garage and 4 outdoor parking spaces. CHF 2,180,000.–

no De ve liv m ery be e r 2 nd 01 1

1. CHAVANNES-DES-BOIS – In a wonderfully quiet and wooded established residential area, a detached house of 5 rooms + kitchen in a nice plot of around 650 m2. Built in the traditional style in 1962 and renovated and extended in 2008. Currently rented out. CHF 1,580,000.–

3. ARZIER – Gabled villa with adjoining garage and unobstructed view over Lake Geneva and the Alps comprising: lounge, fully-fitted kitchen, balcony, workshop, 3 bedrooms, 2 wet rooms, games room, laundry room, secure shed, garage with automatic door + outside parking space. Plot of approx. 413 m2. CHF 1,090,000.–

4. CRASSIER – Twin villa in a residential area of Crassier, surrounded by an enclosed garden with trees (South/South West facing). The 7 rooms offer a beautiful living environment, ideal for a family. The house has been regularly maintained. CHF 1,490,000.–

5. LE VAUD – Detached house of 5 rooms + kitchen in a quiet spot in a beautiful wooded plot of approx. 1,050 m2. Living area of approx. 160 m2. CHF 1,150,000.–

6. COPPET – Beautiful twin villa of 6.5 rooms + kitchen in new condition on its own plot of 650 m2 in a residential area. Built in the traditional style in 2002 and in excellent state of repair. It has 2 garages. Quiet location close to all amenities, the Collège des Rojalets secondary school and the beach. CHF 1,980,000.–

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

sales department – rytz & CIE S.A. Avenue A.-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax: 022 36 36 020 vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

Looking to buy and apartment? – call us on 022 363 61 10

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A w ll o Tou w uorf te w. fro s argy effs no etzn esrus s .ceo ro -m ifa n .fr

Property pages New development

sale

v aud : f o r s a l e New development

IN THE CENTRE OF

NYON

AS C

KH WOR

ENC OMM

NEW DEVELOPMENT

for sale

CONDOMINIUM (PPE) APARTMENTS

2.5 ROOMS, 3.5 ROOMS, 4.5 ROOMS, PENTHOUSES, GAR AGES, PARKING INFORMATION AND SALES Av. Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax 022 36 36 020 www.rytz.com – vente@rytz.com 86

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

View all our properties at www.rytz.com

on s r m ffe .co o z ur .ryt o ll w A w w

Property pages Properties for sale

sale

v aud : f o r s a l e Properties THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

1. NYON – Charming old-style property fully renovated with flair and quality materials. Comprises 7 rooms + kitchen, lodge, terraces, swimming pool in a beautiful wooded plot. Living area approx. 300 m2 . Close to town centre. Price : CHF 3,950,000.–

2. LA CROIX-SUR-LUTRY – magnificent 18th century property on a plot of approx. 2,000 m2 . 5 minutes from the Lutry motorway exit in a magnificent sparsely developed rural settling. Facing due South with view over the fields, the Alps and Lake Geneva. Very quiet, private location. Price : CHF 3,450,000.– MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

sales department – rytz & CIE S.A. Avenue A.-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax: 022 36 36 020 vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

Looking to buy an apartment? – call us on 022 363 61 10

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

A w ll o Tou w uorf te w. fro s argy effs no etzn esrus s .ceo ro -m ifa n .fr

Property pages Properties for sale

sale

Vaud : f o r s a l e Properties THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

Se ld o ex m clu av siv aila e ble

1. GILLY – Splendid 1780 property fully renovated in 2011. Exposed beams, natural stone and period parquet floors (in some rooms) add to its unique charm. With finishings to satisfy even the most demanding and sophisticated of clients, the 8 room property with a living area of 485 m2 has a garden, 2 terraces (one covered), 4 parking spaces and a lake view from the second floor bedrooms. Tranquil, sunny setting. Price : CHF 3,400,000.–

2. NYON – master property with indoor pool very close to Lake Geneva. Living area of approx. 1,000 m2. Plot of over 6,000 m2. Indoor garages plus one outbuilding with garage. Space to build a further 500 m2 house. Finishing to be chosen by the buyer. Price : CHF Price range: CHF

1-3 millions

3-6 m.

6-9 m.

Sales department – rytz & CIE S.A. Avenue A.-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax: 022 36 36 020 vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

9-12 m.

12 m.

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

View all our properties at www.rytz.com

on s r m ffe .co o z ur .ryt o ll w A w w

Property pages Properties for sale

sale

Vaud : f o r s a l e Properties THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR complete LIST

3. LUTRY – Splendid (new) property of 11 rooms with living area of approx. 540 m2 offers first class facilities : several terraces, glass lift, perimeter overflow pool, basement garage for a dozen cars, marble and granite throughout, panoramic view over Lake Geneva and the Alps. Enclosed plot of 1,800 m2 with security gate entrance. Available immediately. Price : CHF

4. BOUGY-VILLARS – Property (still to be built) of approx. 580 m2 in the village of Bougy-Villars offering first class facilities and a panoramic view over Lake Geneva. Plot of 3,560 m2. Also comprises indoor pool, lift and garages. Price : CHF Price range: CHF

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

1-3 millions

3-6 m.

6-9 m.

9-12 m.

12 m.

sales department – rytz & CIE S.A. Avenue A.-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – Fax: 022 36 36 020 vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

Looking to buy an apartment? – call us on 022 363 61 10

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Property pages Houses and apartments for sale

CES OBJETS CONSTITUENT THESE PROPERTIES UNE SÉLECTION ARE A SELECTION DE NOTREFROM PORTEFEUILLE. OUR PORTFOLIO. CONSULTEZ-NOUS CONTACT POUR US FOR UNE complete PRÉSENTATION LIST EXHAUSTIVE.

2. BOËGE – Beautiful farm, full of character, on a plot of approx. 1,480 m2, comprising a fully-equipped kitchen, living room with stove, lounge and 4 bedrooms. Garage and basement cellar. Spacious rooms. Rural setting. EUROS 319,000.– Energy Label : D

Ex clu siv e

fro 5 m m th inu e te bo s rd er

1. AYZE – Beautiful traditional mountain chalet in good state of repair offering a magnificent view over the valley. Comprises 4 lovely bedrooms, a lounge, dining room and kitchen. Vast plot of approx. 11,500 m2. Peace and quiet guaranteed. EUROS 535,000.– Energy Label : E

3. GAILLARD – In a luxury apartment block, apartment of 5 rooms + fully-equipped kitchen opening onto dining area. Living area of 110,57 m2 and good aspect. Two balconies, basement cellar and garage. EUROS 395,000.– Energy Label : D

4. YVOIRE – Contemporary property with an unobstructed view over Lake Geneva and a living area of 325 m2 spread over 3 levels. Excellent amenities, convivial atmosphere and a SPA on the garden level. Plot extending over approx. 3,800 m2 with swimming pool. EUROS Energy Label : D

Re si ar den ea tia l

sale

NE I GHB O U R I NG F R A N C E : f o r s a l e Houses and apartments

A w ll w ou w. r ag of en fer ce s o -if n a. fr

5. SCIEZ – Beautiful water-side property with fantastic view over Lake Geneva. Comprises a fully-equipped kitchen, lounge, dining room with fireplace, 8 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Beautiful terrace. Its magnificent plot of 3,152 m2 has 40 linear metres of beach with a jetty. EUROS Energy Label : D Price range: EUROS

<1 million

1-3 m.

6. MESSERY – Very light and airy architect-designed house in an exceptional situation. 7 rooms plus fully-equipped kitchen in a magnificent well-tended, fully-enclosed wooded estate of 3,860 m2 with swimming pool. Fully-converted basement. In perfect state of repair. A must-view property! EUROS Energy Label : C 3-6 m.

6-9 m.

ifa agency 3, place Porte de France (à 50 m de la douane de Moillesulaz) – FR - 74240 Gaillard Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80 – Fax +33 (0) 450 87 08 23 – ifa@wanadoo.fr – www.agence-ifa.fr

- Autumn 2011 - n° 29

9 m.

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

View all our properties at www.agence-ifa.fr

Property pages Houses and apartments for sale

NE I GHB O U R I NG F R A N C E : f o r s a l e Houses and apartments

CES OBJETS CONSTITUENT THESE PROPERTIES UNE SÉLECTION ARE A SELECTION DE NOTREFROM PORTEFEUILLE. OUR PORTFOLIO. CONSULTEZ-NOUS CONTACT POUR US FOR UNE complete PRÉSENTATION LIST EXHAUSTIVE.

8. JUVIGNY – Detached villa enjoying a beautiful view in a quiet location. It comprises a lounge/dining room with fireplace, fully-equipped dining kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and an office. Garage for 2 cars. Lovely plot of 1,631 m2 with terrace. EUROS 695,000.– Energy Label : D

Ex clu siv e

7. ANNEMASSE – In a quiet area, 2-bedroom (F3) apartment in a house with private enclosed and wooded garden of 175 m2 . Comprises a fullyequipped kitchen, dining room, 2 bedrooms, w.-c., bathroom, garage and cellars. EUROS 286,000.– Energy Label : F

10. BEAUMONT – Terraced house in a luxury residence with swimming pool in a lovely enclosed, wooded plot. Comprises a fully-equipped kitchen, lounge, dining room with fireplace, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, garage/laundry room. Sought-after area. EUROS 495,000.– Energy Label : C

Ex clu siv e

9. TANINGES – Stylish chalet with fully-equipped kitchen opening onto living area with fireplace, 2/3 bedrooms and lovely private garden of 322 m2 . Private parking. Quiet, sunny spot with unobstructed view. EUROS 220,000.– Energy Label : G

11. GAILLARD/Close to the border – On the 4th floor of a luxury block, apartment of 4 rooms + fully-equipped kitchen with living area of approx. 110 m2. Comprises a large lounge/dining room with fireplace, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies, a basement cellar and garage. Unobstructed views. EUROS 420,000.– Energy Label : D Price range: EUROS

MembER OF THE SPG GROUP

<1 million

12. 19 KM from the border – Charming traditional property offering an exceptional view. Living area of 600 m2 split over several levels and appendages. 4 hectares of woodland and meadows guarantee absolute peace and quiet. Several period fireplaces add to the appeal of the property. EUROS Energy Label : D

1-3 m.

3-6 m.

6-9 m.

9 m.

IFA AGency 3, place Porte de France (50 m from the Moillesulaz border crossing point) – FR - 74240 Gaillard Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80 – Fax +33 (0) 450 87 08 23 – ifa@wanadoo.fr – www.agence-ifa.fr

View all our properties at www.agence-ifa.fr

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

sale

on .fr s r fa ffe e-i o c ur gen o ll .a A ww w

Property pages Be extravagant!

El Masr Chateau

germany

Switzerland - Cologny (Geneva)

FRANCE AU stria

switzerland Cologny (GE)

The El Masr Chateau is the only example in Geneva of Neo-Tudor style. It is comprised of a terrace donjon, a turret staircase with an incredible view over Calvin’s City and the Lake Geneva water fountain. It also has crenels, machicolations and a seigniorial chapel. The current owner spent five years renovating this building. From the columns to the roof, everything has been renovated with great care, respecting each detail in order to perfectly maintain the Neo-Elizabethan style, which was very fashionable in Great Britain at the time of the initial construction of the Chateau.

I TA Ly

Price : CHF

CHF 4 - 8 Millions

8 -12 M.

12 -15 M.

15 -20 M.

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41 A CH-1207 Geneva T +4122 707 4660 F +4122 707 4666 info@spgfinestproperties.ch www.spgfinestproperties.ch

20 M.

Property pages Be extravagant!

sale

Château de Bavois

GE R M A N Y

Switzerland - Bavois (Vaud)

FRANCE austria

switzerland Bavois (VD)

I TA LY

Thanks to its excellent rail and motorway connections, the delightful village of Bavois is no more than 15 minute trip from Lausanne or 60 minutes from Geneva.The domain of around three hectares comprises the Château with its annexes, the farm and the cottage plus outbuilding. The Château was completely renovated by its present owner during the 1990s with a total living space of 800 sq.m. The farm, which has a total living area of 1,265 sq.m consists of six separate apartments offering a vast space of around 450 sq.m that can be used to organise grand events for over 200 people. The cottage and outbuilding stand on a parcel which could serve to construct condominium apartments with a net floor area of around 1,735 sq.m. Price : CHF

CHF 4 - 8 Millions

8 -12 M.

12 -15 M.

15 -20 M.

20 M.

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41 A CH-1207 Geneva T +4122 707 4660 F +4122 707 4666 info@spgfinestproperties.ch www.spgfinestproperties.ch

n° 29 - Autumn 2011 -

Property pages ... another extravagance! Island for sale

Nautilus Island

MAINE (USA)

MAINE (usa) - Brooksville Steeped in history, Nautilus Island is located at the entrance to Castine Harbor and encompasses 37± acres of natural beauty. The six-bedroom manor house with swimming pool has sweeping vistas of Penobscot Bay. At water’s edge, a farmhouse and guest cottage, boat house converted to a waterfront escape with kitchen, bar, and stone fireplace, pier and moorings. Gardens, tennis court, and barn complete this captivating offering. Price : CHF

CHF 4 - 8 Millions

8 -12 M.

12 -15 M.

15 -20 M.

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41 A CH-1207 Geneva T +4122 707 4660 F +4122 707 4666 info@spgfinestproperties.ch www.spgfinestproperties.ch

20 M.

NOUS VOUS OFFRONS 1000 MOYENS DE PRÉSERVER L’ENVIRONNEMENT. Nos 1000 collaborateurs agissent selon le principe de la durabilité, dans le souci de protéger au mieux notre environnement. Depuis plusieurs années, nous diminuons constamment nos émissions de CO2 et compensons les rejets inévitables avec des certificats Gold Standard de myclimate. Nous vous proposons ainsi des services d’impression climatiquement neutre. www.swissprinters.ch Swissprinters Lausanne SA – Tél. +41 58 787 48 00 – lausanne@swissprinters.ch

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