Do the professionals work in diversified teams?

In 2000, the Canton of Geneva’s invited competition for the renaturation of the Aire, held in the form of a commissioned study, was won by the interdisciplinary team Superpositions, a group of architects, landscape architects, biologists, hydrologists and civil and environmental engineers. Their project sought not to restore the river landscape to its natural state, but to preserve the traces left by civilisation in recent decades. The proposal provided for a juxtaposition and coexistence of canal-like and natural elements.

Does the place serve its purpose?

The renaturation of the Aire not only provides a valuable habitat for flora and fauna, but also meets with great approval from the general public as a recreation space within Geneva’s agglomeration. It is a good example of an implemented project that fulfils the desire to preserve a cultural landscape, the needs of recreation seekers, and ecological requirements, all at the same time.

Does the place promote biodiversity?

In the 1980s, fishing was forbidden in certain sections of the Aire for public health reasons. At that time, the small river was a near-dead body of water and the biodiversity was severely reduced. Much has changed since the riverbed was widened. The banks are filled with the sounds of chirps, croaks and hums. Fish ladders enable fish to migrate despite level changes in the terrain.

Is the place affordable thanks to economy of design, construction and operation?

The renaturation aims to achieve several goals at once. First, more space for the watercourse is meant to provide flood protection for agriculture and local residents. Second, the stream is to be upgraded to again become a valuable habitat. And third, the public gets a recreation space that continuously changes through the power of nature. Access to this recreation space is open to all on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.

Does the place bring different people together?

Along the former canal and the exposed riverbed, many different seating opportunities, tables for picnics and pergolas are placed over a distance of about five kilometres. There are places for large groups as well as for individuals, steps that are suitable not only for relaxing but also for informal concerts or events, or that extend all the way down to the river’s edge so you can dip your feet into the cool water. Fountains along the river provide people with fresh drinking water.

Was the place thoroughly analysed prior to the intervention?

Redesigning river courses requires intensive consideration. For this reason, the Canton organised a commissioned study in 2000 with the participation of several competing teams. The winning team then refined its project in dialogue with local residents, farmers, environmental organisations and representatives of the cantonal government and the municipalities bordering the Aire. The participatory approach with various stakeholders met with approval from the local population and their politicians. The project is being implemented in four stages over a period spanning some 20 years – and the last stage even crosses the border because the westernmost section borders on France. With its interdisciplinary approach, the Superpositions team has set new standards for the planning of a renaturation project.

Does the place foster connectedness with nature and the landscape?

Geneva is a densely populated canton and is also used intensively for agriculture. The elongated park along the water provides a living environment for people, animals and plants. It enables recreation and sports, which enhances health, enhances the quality of life and promotes the local residents’ identification with their surroundings. Last but not least, the park upgrades the living and working environment on Geneva’s periphery.

Does the place’s beauty contribute to people’s well-being?

The renaturation of the Aire has received numerous awards at home and abroad. The implemented project helps to answer the question of how landscapes can develop within the catchment area of densifying settlement areas. The place fascinates with its harmonious coexistence of recreation, ecology and agriculture. Because the project authors have preserved the landscape as an overlay of different epochs, its diverse history can still be experienced.