A new HQ for SERMA and Avoriaz visitors
In a major new construction project in the heart of Avoriaz, the new SERMA new offices and customer space respond to a triple challenge: To to preserve the soul and shape of the original building, to adapt to the changing needs of SERMA, and to respond to the environmental requirements of today and in the future.
It began with the story of a cable car station built in 1961 on the edge of the plateau. The station was commissioned by the operator of the Avoriaz ski resort, and it soon became an emblematic local landmark. It was enlarged in 1973, to include the SAMA offices and a reception area for residents. From 2013 onwards, when the original cable car was replaced by the 3S Prodains Express service, the building was only used for office space, but now, just short of a decade later, SERMA has decided to start again from scratch, or near enough.
A project created by communal accord
The starting point for the current project was the resort operator’s need to renovate its offices and completely rethink the space dedicated to customers. To shape the project, SERMA chose to involve a number of its employees. “The consultation carried out within the company showed that employees had real environmental expectations for the new building. Not only did they express their day-to-day needs, but they also insisted that their offices should be exemplary,” explains Operations Manager Denis Delaunay. As a result, detailed specifications were drawn up and submitted to three architectural firms.
Haag & Baquet: A sustainable approach
The Haag & Baquet architectural firm is based in Sallanches at the foot of Mont Blanc and has a great deal of experience in extreme constructions such as high-altitude refuges. It also has a strong attachment to the mountains and to the preservation of the local environment, which made it a great fit with SERMA. “We were motivated by the many challenges to be met,” explains Sylvain Garnier, engineer, and project manager. “We had to respect a seasonal calendar with a fairly short window of opportunity, we had to renovate without interfering with the operation and safety of the resort, we had to transform the building without changing its look and surroundings, we had to ensure we used the very best technical solutions and, of course, we had to rebuild while limiting our impact as much as possible,” he adds. But before the new building could be constructed, the old one had to be brought down.
More to come in the next episode…
