Le Port Franc

In 1956, an American road haulage operator invented the container. Today, containers transport 80% of goods (by value), and around 1.6 million of them are constructed each year. In 2010, there were over 18 million containers in use worldwide for transport. A container gives great flexibility in the arrangement of the contemporary music centre. The performance space can be organised according to the activities taking place there and the different types of ambiance required. Extra rooms can be added, supplementing the rehearsal rooms required by the project specifications.

The new contemporary music centre of sion is south of the city, in a former industrial hall. The concert hall called “le port-franc” enjoys a particularly favourable situation to its nocturnal activities: the industrial area chosen is ideal for the noise problem. The building contains two different and complementary programs: a 400 people concert hall and rehearsal spaces for local bands. The use of second-hand shipping containers allows an economy of means. The modularity of the system provides great flexibility in the organization and enabled a rapid execution. The resistance of container materials offers an ideal protection against vandalism and intensive use of the premises. Finally, the recycling of these modules with marked visual identity creates a strong and consistent image for this new and alternative pole of culture.

City of Sion

savioz fabrizzi architects

Civil engineer: Alpatec SA, Martigny
Hvac engineer: Technitherm, Vannick Rossier, Sion
Eletrical engineer: Domotech Systems, Sion
Acoustician Engineer: Bs Bruno Schroeter, Saxon