26:
492:
503:, was ejected by the device whenever it was activated. This happened typically at end of work when the factories switched off the machines one at the time, so that the pressure in the system was hard to control and the supply of pressurized water was difficult to adapt to the real demand. The tall fountain was visible from a long distance and became the landmark of the city. In 1891 it was moved to the current location in the lake where it is operated for the sole purpose of a tourist attraction without any other function.
325:
machinery, which might indeed include generators. Another objective involved using the pumped water to feed the reservoirs of the public drinking water supply. However, in 1887 electricity generation started in a building nearby the BFM, where generators were driven by pressurized water supplied from the BFM. The hydraulic power network needed a pressure valve to avoid the damage from excessive pressure within the network which was located beside the BFM and which was the precursor to Geneva's
531:
512:
996:
1024:
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598:. Meanwhile, various avenues were explored to find a new use for the building. After various meetings with the responsible city department, and thanks to the generosity of a locally based benefactor, the decision was taken to adapt the main building as a 1,000-seat auditorium suitable for theatrical uses. The buildings should be able to host productions from the city's
619:- on the bank of the river at the southern end of the side wing that connects the main turbine hall with the shore). At the Place des Volontaires is a small cultural centre associated with the BFM. Construction of the walkway used the piles and supports originally created for the inspection walkway along the outside of the turbine hall, below the windows on its side.
406:
flow of water through it was expected to remain relatively low for the next five to six months. Along the part of the river where the powerhouse was built the river was separated into two parallel channels and these were drained successively in order to permit the construction of the building, the hydraulic structures and of a curtain weir attached to the
405:
Before 1882 the level of the lake surface varied with the seasons, rising to it highest level at the end of the winter when the snows melted and the lake was filled by streams and torrents from the surrounding mountains. Work on the structure began in
November 1893, when the level of the lake and the
372:
therefore entered into negotiations to move the district frontiers in order to bring the proposed site within the Geneva city boundary. Plainpalais rejected the idea, however. It was therefore decided to reposition the site for the new building to an artificial island positioned in the middle of the
324:
At the time when the project was defined as a "power plant" there was no automatic correlation between a "power plant" and a public electricity supply. The idea in 1882 was to feed power in the form of pressurized water to local manufacturing businesses, who could use it to operate their own powered
307:
of the structure was designed to regulate the level of the lake. The structure lost its original function as a power source in 1963, but it nevertheless continued to house pumping equipment to service Geneva's drinking water supply till 1988. The weir of the power plant was used some more years till
584:
The hydraulic power network was not in competition with the electric power supply, but was more considered a supplement to the electric power supply. Only during the economic crisis of the 1930s, the demand of pressurized water as energy supply declined. The last water engine was decommissioned in
571:
The distribution network used three different pressure levels. The lowest pressure level served for the drinking water supply, the intermediate and the high pressure level served as hydraulic power network. The intermediate pressure level had an operating pressure of 6.5 bar and was reached 1896 a
545:
designed for submerged operation. They were capable to process a total runoff of 600–800 m³/s at a drop height of 2 to 4 m. Each had a maximal power of 210 hp. The three concentric arranged blade rings allowed to adjust the power of the turbine to the available drop height and the actual
312:
in 1995, which is located approximately fifty meters downstream from the BFM. Towards the end of the twentieth century the BFM was converted into an entertainment venue, reopening in 1997 as an opera house / concert hall designed by the architect
Bernard Picenni in association with the acoustician
580:
Many turbines were used for driving generators for electric lighting. In 1887 an electricity generation plant was built next to the powerhouse, which generated 110 V DC with a maximal power of 800 hp and an AC network with a maximal power of 600 hp. The generators were driven by a water
417:
Five Jonval turbines were installed in the small wing of the powerhouse crossing the river and commissioned in May 1886, producing a combined power of 900 kW. Two of the turbines supplied water pressure to what is today the city's old town, and the other three supplied surrounding districts,
602:
for a year, during that buildings major renovation of 1997/98, following which the Bâtiment des Forces motrices should continue to be available for theatrical events and other entertainment spectacles. Regarding the BFM's original functions, just two small pumps would be left in the side wing.
614:
In
December 1997 a pedestrian walkway was set up against the northern and western faces of the building, establishing a connection between the Promenade des Lavandières (the unbuilt strip of land to the east of the BFM and between the two channels of the Rhône) and the Place des Volontaires
421:
In 1892 the larger main turbine hall was ready, with space for a further 15 turbines which were installed progressively over the next few years except the last two. The last of them was installed in 1897, by which time the full complement of 18 turbines was providing 3.3 MW of power.
576:
type Schmid with a gross power of 230 hp. The high pressure network had an operating pressure of 14 bar and reached an extension of 93 km. It was used to power 207 turbines and motors, as well as elevator drives. The gross power was 3000 hp.
610:
was converted into a reception area, while the main turbine hall became the main theatre. The theatre, opened in
September 1997, was constructed entirely of wood. It provided 801 seats in the main area and a further 144 on the balcony/gallery.
471:
structure without roof support pillars or dividing walls inside the building in a way that a vast open unencumbered space for the machinery inside the powerhouse was provided. The interior of the turbine hall was decorated in the flamboyant
1065:
595:
593:
The Le Bâtiment des Forces motrices lost its principal original functions during the 1960s, as manufacturing industry moved out to the edge of the city. It was classified as a historic monument in 1988, and then as a
660:
443:. The chosen building material was strong enough to support the additional lateral forces introduced by the curtain weir into the structure. The curtain weir consisted of 39 single roller blinds made from
357:) which would provide drinking water to the city and energy in the form of pressurized water for the operation of machinery. At the same time they embarked on the work necessary to regulate the level of
439:
of the Pont de la
Machine bridging the right arm of the river Rhône. The old superstructure was replaced during the construction of the power plant by a new superstructure for pedestrian use made from
858:
742:
476:
style fashionable at the time. Only the upper facade on the eastern end, facing the lake, reflected the extrovert decorated style of the interior, supplemented at the time by statues representing
463:, with the main hall aligned along the length of the river and a shorter hall connecting the main hall with the river bank at the western end of the building. The natural stone cladded
986:
Bernard
Lescaze et Tahani S. Khalil, Un opéra sur l'eau, ou la révélation d'un lieu : L'usine des Forces Motrices de la coulouvrenière à Genève, Éditions Suzanne Hurter, 1997
377:, after it had been agreed in 1882 that the river bed itself was part of Geneva. The river was divided into two parallel channels, called respectively the "Canal d'alimentation" (
1045:
664:
499:
In order to avoid excessive pressure build-up in the hydraulic power network, a release valve was fitted beside the main hall of the powerhouse. A tall water fountain, the
962:
418:
some of them as far as ten kilometers (6.2 miles) away. The pressurized water network served, primarily, small businesses including, notably, clock and watchmakers.
1075:
295:. It was created between 1883 and 1892 (and subjected to subsequent improvements) to exploit the flow of the river to provide water pressure to feed the city's
1050:
865:
749:
345:, was no longer sufficient for Geneva's growing needs, despite a succession of upgrades since the installation of the first structure back in 1709. The
1070:
65:
234:
606:
The conversion was based on plans drawn up by the Geneva-based architect
Bernard Picenni The side wing linking to the left (south) bank of the
364:
The project as originally envisaged involved building the Bâtiment des Forces motrices on land administered by the then separate municipality of
1060:
661:"Bâtiment des Forces Motrices: Ancienne usine hydraulique reconvertie en théâtre, Lieu événementiel classé monument historique depuis 1988"
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in a lying V-configuration located in the hall of the powerhouse. The two pumps shared a vertical arranged common
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353:) of the Rhône on 30 December 1882. The city committed to construct a new "hydraulic factory" (in French
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519:
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902:
706:
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Histoire de l'énergie hydraulique: moulins, pompes, roues et turbines de l'Antiquité au XXe siècle
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939:"Genève à la force de l'eau – une histoire de l'exploitation hyrdaulique (exhibition guide)"
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therefore granted to the city a concession for exploitation of the "motor power" (in French
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By 1880 it had become clear that the existing hydraulic structure, sited at the city's
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now embarked on a parallel career as a local politician, when he was elected to the
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demand. The control was done by partially covering the guide vanes of the turbine.
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structure has large round arched glazed windows. The roof was supported by an iron
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wheel originating from the Usine des Forces
Motrices shown in front of a former
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365:
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695:"Transporter l'énergie hydraulique à distance, avant l'électricité (1830–1890)"
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891:"Transporter l'énergie hydraulique à distance, avant l'électricité(1830-1890)"
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In the 1960s the Jonval turbines were one by one replaced by Kaplan turbines.
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397:. He went on to head up the construction project with energy and imagination.
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284:
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963:"Inventaire suisse des biens culturels d'importance nationale - Genève"
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wood. It was able to dam the Rhône to a height of maximal 3.3 meters.
368:(later subsumed into Geneva) which was in financial difficulties. The
269:
185:
53:
837:
260:, French for "Power plant building", is the power house of a former
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Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Geneva
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510:
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304:
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361:, notably by construction of a curtain weir across the river.
968:. Das Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS. p. 177
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The structure is positioned near the point where the
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581:turbine supplied from the hydraulic power network.
572:length of 82 km. It was used for powering 130
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381:) on the left side and the "Canal de régulation" (
944:(in French). Musée d'histoire des sciences. 2009
864:. Services industriels de Genève. Archived from
495:The Jet d’eau in its original location ca. 1886
278:Usine des Forces Motrices de la Coulouvrenière
8:
655:
653:
1046:Hydroelectric power stations in Switzerland
748:. Communication SiG, Genève. Archived from
534:Interior of the powerhouse with the pumps.
385:) on the right side. On the initiative of
15:
914:
718:
140:power generation: 1963, waterworks: 1988
805:"Les vannes du Pont de la Machine 1980"
777:Pierre-Louis Viollet (1 January 2005).
627:
414:located a few hundred meters upstream.
235:Related media on Commons
1076:History of water supply and sanitation
596:cultural asset of national importance
435:The curtain weir was attached to the
205:3.3 MW (in form of pressurized water)
7:
772:
770:
688:
686:
684:
682:
30:Bâtiment des Forces motrices in 2019
1051:Buildings and structures in Geneva
693:André Ducluzaux (1 January 2002).
310:Barrage du Seujet (Seujet barrage)
258:Bâtiment des Forces motrices (BFM)
14:
1071:Industrial history of Switzerland
663:. Genève Tourisme. Archived from
1022:
1008:
994:
24:
636:"The factory became a theater"
459:powerhouse sat on an L-shaped
1:
1061:Concert halls in Switzerland
156:Service industriel de Genève
1092:
638:. BFM Arfluvial SA, Genève
617:"le Place des Volontaires"
370:Geneva city administration
889:Ducluzaux, André (2002).
859:"Patrimoine et sites SIG"
743:"Patrimoine et sites SIG"
549:Each turbine powered two
308:it was taken over by the
274:Usine des Forces Motrices
240:
192:Units decommissioned
169:
165:
35:
23:
19:Usine des Forces Motrices
541:of Zurich delivered the
174:Make and model
1030:Renewable energy portal
301:hydraulic power network
201:Nameplate capacity
105:Construction began
539:Escher Wyss & Cie.
535:
527:
520:Escher Wyss & Cie.
496:
182:Escher Wyss & Cie.
137:Decommission date
81:46.20472°N 6.1381278°E
783:. Presses des Ponts.
558:hydraulic accumulator
533:
514:
494:
389:, the civil engineer
383:"Regulation channel"
317:and the scenographer
161:Power generation
809:www.notrehistoire.ch
567:Distribution network
522:factory building in
408:Pont de la Machine (
387:Jean-Daniel Colladon
347:cantonal authorities
339:Pont de la Machine (
327:Jet d'Eau (fountain)
121:Commission date
916:10.1051/lhb/2002054
907:2002LHBl...88...28D
720:10.1051/lhb/2002054
711:2002LHBl...88...28D
395:Geneva city council
391:Théodore Turrettini
355:"usine hydraulique"
303:. Furthermore, the
210:External links
86:46.20472; 6.1381278
77: /
1002:Switzerland portal
895:La Houille Blanche
699:La Houille Blanche
536:
528:
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253:Building in Geneva
755:on 3 October 2015
667:on 3 October 2015
426:Technical details
379:"Supply channel"
262:hydro power plant
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410:"Machine Bridge"
351:"forces motrice"
341:"Machine Bridge"
244:edit on Wikidata
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705:(4–5): 28–33.
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516:Jonval turbine
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871:on 2015-10-03
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840:on 2016-01-26
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811:. 26 May 2011
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125:May 1886
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1016:Water portal
982:
970:. Retrieved
957:
946:. Retrieved
933:
898:
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873:. Retrieved
866:the original
853:
842:. Retrieved
838:the original
833:
824:
813:. Retrieved
808:
799:
779:
757:. Retrieved
750:the original
737:
702:
698:
669:. Retrieved
665:the original
640:. Retrieved
630:
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579:
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554:piston pumps
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441:puddled iron
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431:Curtain Weir
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401:Construction
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297:water supply
282:
277:
273:
257:
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180:supplied by
366:Plainpalais
359:Lake Geneva
333:The project
319:dUCKS scéno
289:Lake Geneva
285:River Rhône
153:Operator(s)
84: /
72:6°8′17.26″E
60:Coordinates
44:Switzerland
1040:Categories
972:18 January
948:2016-01-21
875:2016-01-20
844:2016-01-20
815:2016-01-20
759:18 January
671:18 January
642:18 January
623:References
589:Conversion
474:Beaux-Arts
461:floor plan
451:Powerhouse
266:waterworks
69:46°12′17″N
925:109585461
830:"History"
729:109585461
501:Jet d'Eau
507:Turbines
465:concrete
291:towards
276:, later
145:Owner(s)
50:Location
903:Bibcode
707:Bibcode
486:Mercury
478:Neptune
272:called
231:Commons
215:Website
129:1886-05
127: (
110: (
40:Country
923:
787:
727:
585:1958.
524:Zurich
299:and a
270:Geneva
186:Zurich
97:Status
54:Geneva
1056:Rhône
966:(PDF)
942:(PDF)
921:S2CID
869:(PDF)
862:(PDF)
753:(PDF)
746:(PDF)
725:S2CID
608:Rhône
482:Ceres
469:truss
445:larch
375:river
315:Peutz
242:[
974:2016
785:ISBN
761:2016
673:2016
644:2016
484:and
455:The
305:weir
293:Lyon
264:and
256:The
222:.bfm
112:1883
108:1883
911:doi
834:BFM
715:doi
703:4–5
268:in
224:.ch
220:www
1042::
919:.
909:.
899:88
897:.
893:.
832:.
807:.
769:^
723:.
713:.
701:.
697:.
681:^
652:^
560:.
488:.
480:,
329:.
321:.
280:.
195:18
184:,
976:.
951:.
927:.
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878:.
847:.
818:.
793:.
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731:.
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615:(
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131:)
114:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
