Bernex (Geneva)

Pillet offers quality services in the field of real estate development and general contracting. A reality involving different types of professionalism: from civil engineers to architects and biotechnicians. The client’s requirement was to give a new image to their existing offices, making the space more livable and in a more comfortable atmosphere: integrating aesthetic elements into the original industrial structure. The theme was: “freeing up space” and making the rooms more pleasant and enjoyable. But due to the Covid emergency, the project had to be modified: the conference room, initially designed to accommodate about fifteen people was replaced by smaller and more contained conference rooms.

Then were designed a coworking space and a sort of phone box for video calls. Movable walls were added to separate the spaces according to the needs. The open spaces have been re-designed inserting panels separating the workstations to increase confidentiality. Furthermore, art has been used to lighten the serious tone of the working environment: a mural by the artists Tones and Defs enhances the wall of the corridors along the three floors of the building.

The role of light

The idea for the lighting design was to have in the corridors and circulation areas a continuous light that would also run vertically down the columns and along the walls. Egoluce was able to realize such a complex project, conceived by the architects Tommaso Mozzo and Luna Rinaldi of Pillet. The angles formed by the series of Rail are in fact different from each other and each of them has been custom designed, paying attention to every detail. Egoluce followed the lighting project in all the phases: from the lighting checks made on each station, to the realization of all the rail elements mapped so that they corresponded at every point to the starting design, up to their installation on site. The continuous line created with Rail always follows different angles and this interplay of inclinations helps to soften the atmosphere of the office and to enlarge the spaces.

The continuity of the light is also the result of two factors: the color temperature (3000K) equal for each environment and the absence of dimmability. The color temperature, neither too warm nor too cold, also contrasts the strictness of the pre-existing office and contributes to making the environment welcoming and familiar. In the workstations, the right visual comfort has been ensured while respecting a UGR<19 (Unified Glare Rating) thanks to the Rail Quadra with UGR screen.

The project

Concept: Tetris Design + Building

Project development: Arch. Tommaso Mozzo and Arch. Luna Rinaldi (Pillet SA)