werk, bauen + wohnen, 11-2021, Social Condenser⠀
[…]⠀
A star fallen from the sky⠀
The building’s radiating plan alone already tells a whole story. Its exploded geometry makes sensitive the disruptive energy necessary for any beginning or new start. In the visual presentation of his business philosophy on the internet5, AP is not afraid to mix the vaporous evocations of a resting nature with the violence of the original big bang and the lightning bolts that illuminate his native Vallée de Joux on stormy nights. There is nothing to link this architectural proposal to the vernacular tradition of the farmhouses of peasant-watchmakers that other brands have taken pleasure in preserving in their neighborhoods. The contrast is also total with the neighboring volume of Cartier Joaillerie to the west, whose crystalline purity draws its analogies from the faceting of fine stones. In consultation with the client and the company’s staff, Kunik de Morsier adopted an additive compositional principle capable of reflecting the variety of specialized skills involved in the assembly and finishing of the watches. The seven branches that fit in various orientations into the central core make the sequencing of the production process explicit to visiting customers, provide for the specific lighting conditions required by each trade, and at the same time provide the identity to which they aspire.⠀
[…]⠀
Text: Sylvain Malfroy⠀
Images: @iwanbaan⠀
⠀
Full text available in French here.