The railway station at Montreux, Switzerland, was designed by Eugéne Joss in 1902 as a significant and expressive monument for the lakeside town. The building has been renovated with a new side entrance conceived as a dramatic glass hall in memory of the original glass entrance canopy previously lost. The new ‘conservatory’ brightens the station interior, which has been reorganised to clarify the rail services west of a significant central staircase and retail facilities to the east.

Jury Verdict

This Belle Epoch building in the centre of Montreux was an important element in the townscape but had been altered less than sympathetically over the years. The changes wrought by the designers enhance the original building and provide important year-round protection in this snow-prone climate. A glass shell for climate control was added like a drop shadow with the majority of the glass inside the facade. Only a transparent box of glass appears on one end of the building to enclose elevators to raised train platforms. This has enabled the old building to be used as an airlock during winter.

The simplicity of the design solution enabled conservation principles to be followed with a clear demarcation between old and new work, each enhancing the other.

Photography Jose Staub

ASTRAC Gare de Montreux, Montreux, Switzerland
Architects and Interior Designers Luscher—design architects Rodolphe Luscher and David Linford; project architect David Linford; team member Sabine Arnaud. Original ArchitectEugene Jost. Structural Engineers Moncef Boubaker. Electrical Engineers Perrin and Spaeth. Hydraulic and Services Engineers, Communications Consultants CFF Swiss Federal Railways. Lighting Consultant Frejuro. Artist Jean Francois Reymond. Quantity Surveyor David Linford. Contractors Ambrosetti.

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