The decision to replace the existing building gave architects the opportunity to develop a new and attractive cultural district for the city. This strategic choice, unique among the pro- jects submitted, made it the most convincing proposal in the opinion of the jury. The aptness of this approach is linked to the decision to remove the existing engine shed. The jury felt that the technical and urban limi- tations inherent in the existing building had to be taken into consideration in relation to the project’s ingenuity. The design of the Museum itself makes refe- rence to the site’s history and retains the atmos- phere of its industrial past. Implicit questions arising from a museum on several floors are well managed, and the pro- ject’s quality is underwritten by the choice of a spectacular brick hall, designed to incorporate the projecting apse of the existing engine shed. The project’s clarity convinced the Jury that this proposal was unique in its ability to help create a new Museum, and a new public space serving the city.
"Nouveau Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts - Pôle muséal et culturel"
