FEB 2026 Distinction
© 2026 EPFL
Two master's projects completed within the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST) are among the winners of the 2026 FEB Distinction awarded by the Groupe spécialisé pour la conservation des ouvrages (GCO) of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA). The master's project "Racines urbaines", developed by Lucile Charamel, received an award, while Zélie Cortès' project, entitled "Canopé sociale", received an honorable mention. This distinction annually recognizes academic projects that address, in an exemplary manner, issues related to the management, adaptation, and conservation of existing buildings.
Since its foundation in 1994, the GCO has provided an interdisciplinary platform for all those involved in the conservation of buildings. The GCO is aimed at architects, civil engineers, and specialists who, as designers, builders, operators, or owners, are concerned with the conservation of buildings. Conservation of structures includes measures such as refurbishment, adaptation to new requirements, reuse, partial replacement, or extension.
Chosen among some sixty applications from all over Switzerland, Lucile Charamel's master's project, entitled “Racines urbaines”, explores the transformation of the former Voiron hospital into a School of Landscape Professions, fostering a dialogue between nature, architecture, and education. The proposal moves beyond a simple tabula rasa approach and takes into account the cultural and ecological value embodied by the existing built heritage of our cities. The follow-up group of this theoretical statement and master project consisted of Prof. Emmanuel Rey (supervisor, LAST), Prof. Elena Cogato Lanza (professor, LAB-U), and Oliver Regazzoni (mentor, LAST).
For his part, Zélie Cortés’ master’s project entitled “Canopé sociale : adaptation et réhabilitation d'un ensemble résidentiel à Nyon face aux vulnérabilités socio-climatiques” aims to create communal spaces tailored to social and neighborhood needs through a modest and sustainable renovation of a group of buildings from the 1970s and 1980s, while preserving the site’s identity and enhancing the complex’s climate resilience. The follow-up group consisted of Prof. Emmanuel Rey (supervisor, LAST), Prof. Marilyne Andersen (professor, LIPID) and Sophie Lufkin (mentor, LAST).
