Creation of the “Cité des Horlogers” museum facility at Château Pertusier

The project involves the deconstruction of a 20th-century building severely damaged by fire and the construction of a contemporary extension on the hillside, which will house the museum space. This approach restores the integrity of the remarkable 16th- and 19th-century historic monument, which has been restored. The project is also designed to stabilize the site’s unstable clay soils, provide the necessary climate control for the museum space, and allow for phased construction, enabling the facility to remain open during the restoration of the château’s interior decorations.

The extension is characterized by a visible single-storey, semi-buried volume surrounded by walls and covered by a low-sloped roof. This simple volume integrates the stones from the deconstruction work, and its layout creates a visual link between the park and the château's courtyard through the reception area. This architectural volume is characterized by a strong “murality”, with no openings, supported on the street side by the existing enclosure and on the park side by a set of terraces and landscaping leading to the new entrance.

The permanent exhibition is accessible from the reception area. The scenography incorporates preserved architectural remnants to contextualize the rise of watchmaking in France during the Renaissance and its migration to the Haut-Doubs region. The immersive digital corridor, "At the Heart of Time," leads to a gallery showcasing the evolution of watchmaking techniques, gestures, aesthetics, and societal changes