Rue du Marché 4 – 10

After a long and complex intervention, the former Rolex building – located on one of Geneva’s main commercial arteries – has been transformed into a modern mixed-use building with a large set of retail stores leased to internationally renowned operators, plus 67 apartments with hotel services and 7 residential apartments.

The building had to be demolished and rebuilt due to the lack of density of the previous plan and the obsolescence of its support system and envelope. The commercial plinth required very complex underpinning works, as some of the old stores continued to operate before demolition while the new basements were being built.

The two facades, to Rue du Marché and Rue de la Rôtisserie, respectively, were conceptualised independently as each responds to the context in which it is inserted.

We selected Geneva architect Charles Pictet, who took on the enormous challenge of designing and erecting the new building in the middle of Rue du Marché.