Creativity & Challenges

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Interim uses offer new prospects

Published: 23. April 2024

The sustainable use of former industrial sites needs to be well planned. With its many years of experience, HIAG plays an important role in the development of entire neighbourhoods. This is also the case in Geneva, where the vision of a dynamic urban neighbourhood with a focus on sport, health and leisure is taking shape.

Geneva has ambitious plans. In the triangle between Geneva, Lancy and Carouge, or more precisely in the districts of La Praille, Les Acacias and Les Vernets, a new urban centre is to be built over the next decade on an area of 230 hectares. With up to 12,000 flats, over 6,200 jobs and attractive infrastructure and public facilities, “Praille-Acacias-Vernets” (PAV) will provide space for around 24,000 people once completed. This makes it one of the largest urban regeneration programmes in Europe. The former industrial estate is to be transformed into an attractive living space where the general public can come together.

A site in transformation
HIAG is also involved in this major project. With its Porte Sud site, the property developer has a special role to play. It has acquired the former industrial site, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the Stade de Genève, under building rights. In addition to a wide range of services in the fields of sport, hospitality and health, the new urban district will also include office and retail space with flexible and innovative concepts. The aim is to develop a location that is equally attractive for visitors and tenants alike – and that will therefore shape the future cityscape.

Big things planned
“Porte Sud is to become a place to work, live and be active. This is based on the concept of the 15-minute city with regional infrastructure,” says site developer David Engel, explaining HIAG’s ambitions. “It’s about creating a city within a city – a place that is alive at all times of the day and night, like London or New York.” What sounds like a bold plan already has a solid foundation. Workshops have been held with public and private partners since 2020. They came to the following conclusion: Porte Sud offers the best conditions for becoming such a flagship project. The site is directly connected to the RER Léman Express line via the Lancy-Bachet railway station, and is also easily accessible by road. “As one of the three pillars of the PAV, together with Lancy-Pont-Rouge and Pointe Nord, Porte Sud will also be a symbolic gateway to the Geneva of the future.”

Transition phase offers opportunities
It will be several years before that happens. Although concrete planning has only just begun, Porte Sud is already in the midst of a far-reaching transformation. HIAG plans to start construction by 2030. There are many challenges to be overcome. During the transition phase, the course must be set to establish Porte Sud in the neighbourhood in the long term – as an attractive business location as well as a place with leisure and sports activities. “We want to revitalise the site with interim uses until the project starts,” says Patrick Japhet, Head of Western Switzerland at HIAG. “We want to raise the site’s profile among both the local population and potential interested parties, and familiarise them with the location already.” These interim uses make a significant contribution to creating the identity of a newly developed site. But the economic aspect should not be underestimated either. “In this way, we are already generating income during the transition phase that can help cover the high development costs.”

Room for the development of new ideas
HIAG applies this interim utilisation concept very successfully at many of its sites. The focus is on creating attractive living spaces for the future, where people and companies can develop individually. This gives established companies as well as start-ups and young enterprises the opportunity to develop their business in an inspiring environment. HIAG offers them good conditions for this. Around ten temporary tenants are currently based at the Porte Sud site. The first of these was the “Village du Soir” club in 2016. Back then, a few young people took the opportunity to liven up what they saw as a somewhat sleepy city at night. The plan worked. Today, the Village du Soir is more than just a club. It is also a night market with small restaurants and shops as well as new cultural attractions every season. This attracts a diverse clientèle from all over the region.

“The Village du Soir is an integral part of the Porte Sud project.” Patrick Japhet, Head of Western Switzerland

From interim tenant to permanent tenant?

The Village du Soir fulfils all of the requirements for successful interim use. But will it still have a place in the completed Porte Sud site? Patrick Japhet is confident. “The Village du Soir is an integral part of the Porte Sud project. For us, this is a partnership that is nurtured on a daily basis, and it should play an important role within the newly emerging ecosystem.” The company Airloop, which has been active on the site since 2017, will also continue to enrich Porte Sud. It is the first leisure centre in Geneva dedicated to trampolines, but also offers a wide range of sports facilities such as a dodgeball court, cardio walls, slacklines and an acrobatics area. There is also a children’s area for young athletes. Airloop Co-Founder David Pivoda has found a location with a future on the site. “The urban location five minutes from the city centre is very attractive, and we can give free rein to our creativity in around 2,000 m2 of space,” he says happily. Airloop recently inaugurated new padel tennis courts, for example, which will further increase the attractiveness of the site and the range of indoor sports on offer for the people of Geneva.

Promising future

Porte Sud is already a lively area today thanks to its interim uses. HIAG was able to capitalise on a major strength here. Working with local stakeholders who are specialists in their fields, a programme was developed to establish the location in a sustainable way. The recreational focus of the area is very popular with locals, and thus generates acceptance for the development of the site in other respects as well. A partnership between equals is a prerequisite for the success of such concepts, and this will remain the case in the upcoming planning phase. “The temporary rental agreements run until the end of 2029, and thus guarantee the existing use,” says Patrick Japhet. And what happens after that? “We are confident that we will be able to tackle the development project immediately afterwards.” The relaunch of the former industrial site has got off to a promising start. Porte Sud has what it takes to add a valuable component to Geneva’s pioneering urban regeneration project in the future.

“We want to revitalise the site with interim uses until the project starts. In this way, we are already generating income during the transition phase that can help cover the high development costs.” Patrick Japhet, Head of Western Switzerland