Future construction of an energetically self-sufficient building in St-Pierre in Faucigny to house the new premises of Charpente Concept France SAS, in association with Guerzou architects’ practice and the Arcane Juris lawyers’ practice.

Beginning of works on site: in the spring

Six new engineering positions will be created in the middle term.

At last the monumental sculpture, a creation of the Genevan sculptor Daniel Berset is back on Place des Nations.
The chair was erected on 18 August 1997, at the initiative of Handicap International and its director Mr. Paul Vermeulen, to condemn unequivocally the scandal and horror caused by shoe-mines in the world. The chair remained on the square for seven years and was subsequently taken down in order to build the new square.

The objectives of this action were and are still:

To create an impact on public opinion in the world using a striking and original means, in favour of a ban on shoe-mines.
To voice this opinion to international delegations and people throughout the world
To provide the media with new communication approaches to reach the wider public
To keep this striking symbol in front of the UN so as to constantly remind people of the horror of the situation.

In May 1997 Daniel Berset met the engineer and master carpenter Thomas Büchi and asked him to help him with technical aspects of designing this work of art. Between the two men an exemplary bond developed immediately. The driving force that kept them going was most certainly comparable to the ambition that stimulated Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and the Engineer Gustave Eiffel when they built the famous Statue of Liberty.

In order to observe the laws of perspective at Place des Nations and increase the sense of vulnerability created, Daniel Berset designed a chair which modified the proportions of a common chair.

It was not easy, because you can imagine that a commanding chair with a height of 12 m and a weight of 5.5 tons and a broken left front leg was a totally unstable structure!

The solution found involved embedding parts and ballasting foundations to obtain a stable structure!

Another important point: the sculpture could not show any visible hardware, whilst at the same time it needed to be dismantlable. Daniel Berset and Thomas Büchi decided to use a home-grown timber such as glued laminated Douglas fir with resin-sealed joints using the Ferwood system. The sculpture required 8m3 of wood. The leg section is 380mm by 380mm and the legs rest on reinforced concrete bases which weigh 7 tonnes each.

The well-known carpentry entrepreneur Louis Genève joined this admirable tandem. He was responsible for the construction of the noble structure, and succeeded in building the work of art drawing on his considerable know-how and resourcefulness.

Today, 26 February 2007, is a big day for our city of peace. The restored and renovated Brocken Chair is back. This is thanks to the perseverance of many individuals who committed a lot of time and energy to a cause aiming to build a better world.

To finish we would like to add that each individual lucky enough to participate in this work of art shares the same feeling: that they have contributed to the construction of a work of art useful and beneficial for humanity.

Today with the question of submunitions as well, it is more than ever necessary to criticize the criminals who continue to produce these deadly weapons and say:

STOP!!!!

Daniel Berset – Thomas Büchi – Louis Genève