First stage of the Chain of Parks in the Ronquoz 21 district

The Parc des anciens abattoirs (park in the former slaughterhouse district) is part of the vision of the Ronquoz District Urban Design Plan, celebrating the surrounding landscape in the heart of the Rhône Valley.

This pilot project, located at the far eastern end of the Ronquoz district, marks the Rhône River entrance to the future Chain of Parks. Development of this major landscape feature in the future Ronquoz district is ongoing. Step by step, each newly-cleared space comes together to create the new park.

Very dense vegetation is planted along the edges of the Parc des anciens abattoirs. Inspired by forests, this border vegetation features tree, shrub, and groundcover layers. Some areas are inaccessible, dedicated to biodiversity.

This flourishing greenery makes the park appear large and coherent, while shielding visitors from bothersome traffic all throughout the space. 

The park is made up of three complementary landscapes:

The Open Clearing, at the southern end of the site, is a highly adaptable space bordered by dense trees.  The various multi-use surfaces can host any number of community activities, including small concerts, outdoor fitness classes, and students from the nearby EPFL campus looking to relax.

The Orchard Courtyard combines an adaptable hardscape courtyard and an orchard – the former necessary for the day-to-day activity of the Archipel building, and the latter a nod to one of the defining landscapes of this traditionally agricultural valley. Recreation areas fan out beneath the uniform canopy of fruit trees, including pétanque courts and a playground. 

The Green Exterior, at the far eastern end of the park, is the entrance to the future Chain of Parks. The forest garden, a wild landscape combining new and existing plantings, offers spaces for community organizations to use, including an outdoor dining area for the restaurant and a learning garden.