Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and Michelangelo Fondation offices

The fondation de la haute horlogerie sets up its headquarters at pont de la machine

The Pont de la Machine building, an emblem of the Geneva landscape owned by the SIG (Services Industriels de Genève), welcomed two new tenants at the end of 2019: the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and the Michelangelo Foundation, both committed to defending the interests and professions of the fine watchmaking industry. To enable these two foundations to integrate the premises in a way that best suited their needs, the de Planta practice took the approach of stripping the building to its core, while restoring its interior beauty to full glory. We put the central focus on the atrium as a key source of natural light, while eliminating any superfluous features installed by previous tenants. Particular attention was paid to respecting the building’s historical heritage and value. In collaboration with the design agency Bloomint, the renovation work was completed in less than six months, with a kick-off in June 2019 and delivery in November of the same year. The project enabled the implementation of new work spaces, with a mix of "open space" and meeting "boxes", as well as the creation of an arts arcade on the ground floor to welcome the public.