Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Kembs-Niffer lock, located in the Haut-Rhin in Alsace, was inaugurated on 15 April 1961. It is distinguished by its control tower and administrative building, designed by architect Le Corbusier between 1960 and 1961. These structures, listed as historical monuments in 2005, illustrate Le Corbusier's innovative approach, combining simple volumes and freedom of plans to promote the interpenetration of spaces. The choice of this architect, who was at the time not very much in demand for official orders in France, is the result of the initiative of Mr Bouchet and the engineer M. Descombes, who led the project for the North Mediterranean Sea link.

The project was conducted despite technical challenges related to the resistance of reinforced concrete, but without insurmountable obstacles. At the inauguration in 1961, only the control tower was completed. The administrative building, completed later, is surmounted by a hyperbolic paraboloid roof, symbol of the collaboration between architecture and engineering. This achievement marks a milestone in the integration of modern art into public infrastructure, while reflecting the ambitions to modernise French waterways.

The Kembs-Niffer lock is not to be confused with a second lock, built in 1995 as part of an abandoned project to build the Rhône-Rhine Canal. The first, signed Le Corbusier, is a few hundred meters upstream of this great lock. This site is a testament to the evolution of techniques and issues related to river navigation in the 20th century.

External links