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ASTRAC Gare de Montreux
International Commendation
DAVID LINFORD WITH LUSCHER
top The Hotel Swiss reflected in the new glass screen above Montreux’s rail station after construction in 1903.
The railway station at Montreux,
Switzerland, was designed by Eugéne
Joss in 1902 as a significant and
expressive monument for the lakeside
town. The building has been renovated
with a new side entrance conceived as
a dramatic glass hall in memory of the
original glass entrance canopy
previously lost. The new ‘conservatory’
brightens the station interior, which has
been reorganised to clarify the rail
services west of a significant central
staircase and retail facilities to the east.
Jury Verdict
This Belle Epoch building in the centre
of Montreux was an important element
in the townscape but had been altered
less than sympathetically over the
years. The changes wrought by the
designers enhance the original building
and provide important year-round
protection in this snow-prone climate. A
glass shell for climate control was
added like a drop shadow with the
majority of the glass inside the facade.
Only a transparent box of glass appears
on one end of the building to enclose
elevators to raised train platforms. This
has enabled the old building to be used
as an airlock during winter.
The simplicity of the design solution
enabled conservation principles to be
followed with a clear demarcation
between old and new work, each
enhancing the other.
South elevation in 1998.
Photography Jose Staub
ASTRAC Gare de Montreux, Montreux,
Switzerland Architects and Interior Designers Luscher—design
architects Rodolphe Luscher and David Linford;
project architect David Linford; team member
Sabine Arnaud. Original ArchitectEugene Jost.
Structural Engineers Moncef Boubaker. Electrical
Engineers Perrin and Spaeth. Hydraulic and
Services Engineers, Communications Consultants
CFF Swiss Federal Railways. Lighting Consultant
Frejuro. Artist Jean Francois Reymond. Quantity
Surveyor David Linford. Contractors Ambrosetti.