Green Village is the new development concept for the property on which the Ecumenical Centre now stands, and it will include a renovated Ecumenical Centre; new office space for commercial and civil society organizations, including the WCC, its sister organizations and tenants; and residential space.
World Council of Churches (WCC) leadership was joined for the public launch by representatives of the real-estate project’s developer and construction firm, Implenia Suisse SA, and by real estate consultant firm JLL at the official unveiling of the now-approved project.
WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit welcomed visitors. The project, he said, will respond to WCC’s needs in the future and allow the WCC and its ecumenical partners to continue their work in Geneva.
“As we plan for the future, we also want to do so in a sustainable way,” he said of the development’s zero-carbon footprint . “We look forward to the continued engagement and commitment in Geneva in the years ahead.”
In planning stages since 2011, the new large-scale project, situated at the heart of Geneva’s international district, will provide office space for rent by international organizations, non-governmental associations, and private companies. Green Village will comprise six new, environmentally-oriented buildings in a park-like setting, around a restored and renovated Ecumenical Centre. It will also include apartment and hotel accommodations.
Laurent Lin from LRS Architectes elaborated on the Green Village’s vision and highlights. “By giving pride of place to landscaping and ecological aspects, the new district will fit seamlessly within the Jardin des Nations sector, with the international organizations and its history,” said Lin. “Six architecturally streamlined pavilions surrounded by lush vegetation and a pleasant and suitable work environment combine efficiency with a natural dimension.”
Anna Briffod, representing JLL, said: ”It is our ambition to provide excellent working conditions for international organizations, NGOs, missions and private companies willing to benefit from the platform of exchange created by the Green Village project."
Pascal Udry from Implenia added: ”We have been focusing on developing buildings that will be well-integrated in the extension of the Nations area. Given the size of the project, at the end of the realization process, it will actually be like a new district.”
A exhibit room has been set up in the Ecumenical Centre to display the plans, and a website for the project can be seen at www.green-village.ch. Plans call for construction to commence in 2019.
Visit the new Green Village website
Watch a discussion of the Green Village’s environmental impact