History
The emergence of a new neighborhood
Since change rarely comes alone, the renovation of the Nouvelles Galeries coincides with the redevelopment of the nearby Haras, which will bring together an International Center for Animated Film, a gourmet market, and a landscaped park.
This timing also impacts the physical space. It expands Annecy’s historic center of gravity and gives the city a greener, livelier downtown that is also closer to its residents.
At the heart of change: a trio of talented individuals
Manuelle Gautrand, architect
The first French architect to receive the European Architecture Prize in 2017 and the recipient of numerous French and international architecture awards, Manuelle Gautrand shuns standardization.
Whatever project she is entrusted with—whether it be the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art in Lille, the renovation of the Gaîté Lyrique in Paris, the construction of the Belaroïa Hotel in Montpellier, or the construction of a civic and community center in Sydney—she systematically grounds her work in the historical, topographical, contextual, and cultural reality of the site to create architecture that is sensitive and human.
Eager to initiate “an ongoing dialogue” between past and present, interior and exterior, Manuelle Gautrand drew on the sweeping curve of the parking garage of the original building to construct six glass satellites, thereby “extending the original architecture of rings and curves.” Similarly, “the scaly glass facades of the satellites lend themselves to any form of display window, and this pleating of the glass once again echoes the pleating of the concrete fins in the parking garage.”
An aesthetic and pragmatic vision that made it possible to “integrate the project into the city” and give the people of Annecy an open department store that reflects their region and their aspirations
Manuelle Gautrand
David THULSTRUP,
architect and designer
Renowned for his designs inspired by Scandinavian and mountain landscapes—including the incomparable Noma restaurant in Copenhagen—and the recipient of numerous awards, Danish architect and designer David Thulstrup was the natural choice to create the atmosphere of the indoor street and plazas at Les Nouvelles Galeries, as well as the surrounding landscape.
Fascinated by Annecy and the beauty of the natural elements surrounding the city, he sought to integrate them into the design through local forms, tones, and materials, giving the Annecy department store an undeniably Savoyard character.
In this way, “the interior creates the feeling of a place that extends the outdoor space—a place, ultimately, where people gather, have a good time, and feel at home.”
A vision and choices that resonate deeply with the Citynove project.
Sabine Marcelis, designer
Known for her eclectic everyday creations—the famous “donut” objects—and her experiments with light reflection, Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis has been selected by Citynove to design some of the interior furnishings for Les Nouvelles Galeries.
With a remarkable ability to capture and reproduce the effects of light on materials, she designed four striking installations of illuminated mirrors for the Annecy project that play on refraction and reflection. She also created tables and chairs that are both able to blend into the surroundings and stand out, as her stationary objects never feel static.
Sabine Marcelis’s creations and her highly personal approach to design have earned her collaborations with major galleries and fashion houses and a spot among the Financial Times’s list of the 8 most prominent female designers.