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Draughtsmen at the Palais des Nations

Emmanuelle GANTET, UNOG

Alain Vincent, Nicolas Russo, Catherine Mabilon and Denis Jardon (photo) are the brains behind many of the alterations, redecorations and renovations in the working and recreation areas of the Palais: meeting rooms, restaurants, bars, offices, optimization of space, weatherproofing and a new waste disposal unit. They make plans and put forward suggestions, and then make adjustments on the advice of their superiors, Anis Chibli, the Chief of the Buildings Unit, and Laëtitia Ménin, his deputy – both of them architects. The preliminary design must also take account of the constraints on their colleagues in the Engineering Unit as well as of the requirements of the users, who, wherever possible, are involved before the project reaches the execution stage. Once the plans and designs have been approved, they choose their suppliers, which can only be done with the help of the Purchasing Sub-Unit. They are also responsible for supervising and coordinating the work itself.
Their profession has kept pace with technical developments and has itself become computerized, which means they can plan in three dimensions, produce digital simulations of space and quickly modify the measurements and colour schemes in their plans. The computer can never take the place of technical expertise or artistic taste, however. It requires new skills, and Catherine ,35, Denis ,32, during their training in interior architecture, and Nicolas ,32, during his training as a buildings engineer, all studied computer-aided design. Alain ,54, has a traditional qualification in design and construction.
They have specialized to some extent, in the interests of efficiency, although they can still turn their hand to any aspect of the work. Alain and Denis, for example, are in charge of the annual redecorating programme, covering some 100 offices every year, and also oversee the lifts and the weatherproofing work. Catherine is responsible for new furnishings and Nicolas for projects relating to the bars and restaurants. Attached to their Sub-Unit is Jean-Jacques Ferret, who has similar qualifications to Nicolas, and using specialist software, is in charge of facility management within the Palais.
Denis has been here since April 2003 and says «it is a privilege to be able to see a project through from start to finish in such exceptional architectural surroundings». The Sub-Unit’s watchwords: client orientation, contacts and prompt delivery.