In the Swiss canton of Wallis a special breed of cattle, the Eringer cow, seasonally migrates between alpine meadows and the Rhone Valley grasslands. Before the journey, the cows challenge each other and fight to become the leader of the migrating herd. For centuries regional farmers, famous for their strong and ingenious tradition in common resource sharing, have cultivated these fights in so-called Stechfests. The Goler Arena aspires to become the center of this regional tradition.

The program seeks to combine the arena with an agrarian market hall that can house a variety of activities, such as fairs, meetings, exhibitions, and other seasonal festivities. In intensity, seasonality, and program this dynamic usage formed the departure point for the design that accommodates such diversity. The perimeter of the plot is surrounded by a double row of trees in order to create an interior space that blocks traffic noise and emphasizes the surrounding mountains. The arena is integrated into the topography using residual rocks and rubble from the many tunnels leading to the Rhone valley. During cow fights the resulting park landscape facilitates social interaction between farmers, visitors, and cows. When no festivities are planned it functions as a public park.

PROJECT INFORMATION

TITLE: Goler Arena & market Hall
PROGRAM: Competition
LOCATION: Raron, Switzerland
YEAR: 2015
STATUS: 3rd place

The site is located next to a pond that is used for a variety of recreational purposes. The client needed space for storage and other supporting services, but did not want a building on site.

Starting as a thin wall, the volume widens in the middle where spaces are excavated in the interior. The form aligns with old pathways and creates a new spatial arrangement that allows the client to manage public access to the pond.

The construction is made out of an experimental mixture of local clay, limestone and cement, and is rammed in layers. The effect is a horizontally layered monolith that strongly relates to the geological backdrop while maintaining a clear architectural form.

TITLE: Landscape Monolith
PROGRAM: Pavilion
YEAR: 2017
STATUS: Design Study

The Luikerweg staircase is a milestone in the gradual transformation and reclamation of the first and only cement quarry in the Netherlands. In 2017, after more than a hundred years of excavation, the quarry was made accessible to the public and will be managed as a natural reserve.

The design forms a scenic route that starts on the plateau of Mount St. Pieter and gradually reveals the quarry, which has been coined a hidden valley. Two concrete walls guide the visitors through a boundary of vegetation and lead up to a panoramic viewpoint. Here a sublime man-made landscape is revealed, with steep cliffs that are unique and unexpected in the otherwise flat landscape of the Netherlands.
The stairs then descend 50m down into the quarry, forming a geological route. Resting stops are subtly aligned with stratigraphical transitions marking major geological events in the history of the earth. The platform is symbolically aligned with the old road that used to connect Maastricht to Liège: the Luikerweg. When the reclamation is completed the connection between the Netherlands and Belgium will also be restored.

TITLE: Luikerweg viewpoint and stairs
PROGRAM: Viewing point and stairs
LOCATION: Maastricht, The Netherlands
CLIENT: Stichting Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij ENCi gebied
YEAR: 2017
STATUS: Complete

In collaboration with: Stichting Ontwikkelings Maatschappij ENCI gebied, Natuurmonumenten, ENCI Heidelberg AG , Fugro , Janssen Group , Knols Bouwbedrijf , Mergelbedrijf Rouwet