Design Educates Awards 2026
Creative Factory (C) Bauart / Y. André
The architectural firm Bauart, of which Prof. Emmanuel Rey of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST) is a partner, recently received an honorable mention for the Creative Factory project at the Design Educates Awards 2026. The Design Educates Awards recognize and promote worldwide architectural approaches that are likely to change the way architecture can be taught.
In the heart of Lausanne's changing western district, the Creative Factory project involves converting a former logistics center into a multifunctional building. By transforming an existing building, the architectural design aims to revitalize the urban environment, preserve built heritage, limit resource consumption and minimize environmental impact.
The process began with a strategy of reusing the materials present on the site, By recycling them through existing channels or by keeping them on site for landscaping purposes. The dismantling of interior fittings and the creation of two skylights in the heart of the building then revealed the expressive power of the structure and created an interior street that serves as a reference and interconnection space. The integration of wooden volumes has created a series of lofts dedicated to housing and working, and workshops for training, creation, small businesses and crafts.
The building envelope broadly respects the original volume, while offering improved thermal performance. On the north, four double-height shared spaces offer spectacular views of the railway landscape. On the south, a metal grid supports balconies, climbing plants and sunshades.
The former logistics platform has been de-asphalted to make way for a vast park. The ecological transition is also reflected in the integration of renewable energies – connection to district heating and a large photovoltaic shade structure – and the promotion of carbon-free mobility.