Chaplin Museum

Corsier-sur-Vevey

Chaplin Museum
Chaplin Museum 2
Chaplin Museum 3
Chaplin Museum 4

A museum for Charlie Chaplin

Until his death on 25 December 1977, the Manoir de Ban in Corsier-sur-Vevey was home to the film legend Charlie Chaplin. It was there that the artist lived his "happy years", writing several screenplays and his memoirs. The "world" in which Chaplin lived in his Swiss exile consisted of a manor house, annexes and agricultural buildings.

An idea became reality

In 2000 the Swiss architect Philippe Meylan and the museum designer Yves Durand from Quebec developed the idea of transforming the Manoir de Ban into a museum showing the vast body of work of the productive artist. The close collaboration with the Chaplin family led to the architectural concept for the new museum and to the conception of the exhibition. A large-format new building - the museum as such - takes visitors into a self-contained film world in its own right. Chaplin's house remained as it was. Here, the public is confronted with the private life of the artist and his family. It was important to keep the house and the property as original as possible. The protected park was perfectly integrated into the 1,350 sqm museum tour and connects the various buildings and exhibition areas. A shop, restaurant and studios top off this unique museum.

Protection of historical monuments as a challenge for craftsmen

It was no easy task to turn the Manoir de Ban into a museum that pays tribute to the great creator, director and actor. The architects were confronted with the delicate task of harmonizing the contemporary new building - the Hollywood Studio - with the existing buildings. The renovation of the listed buildings was challenging because the building fabric had to be preserved and numerous requirements had to be met. Numerous craftsmen meticulously restored the slate roof, replaced the sandstone door and window reveals, preserved the vaulted cellars and restored the building to its former colours. The environmental protection concept was also taken into account by making maximum use of endogenous and natural resources. Energy is produced using heat pumps coupled to geothermal probes. Solar radiation is used for sanitary hot water preparation.

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Information

Client
DoMayne du Manoir de Ban SA, Corsier-sur-Vevey

Services rendered by HRS
Project developer and sole contractor with full cost, quality and deadline guarantee

Architect
Itten+Brechbühl SA, Lausanne

Land plot
58,300 sqm

Overall cost
CHF 30 million

Duration of construction
July 2014 – March 2016

Contact

HRS Real Estate SA
Rue du Centre 172
1025 Saint-Sulpice

+41 58 122 90 00
st-sulpice@hrs.ch

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