Militia occupation 1943-1944 (≈ 1944)
Site requisitioned during the war.
1962
Acquisition by the City of Annecy
Acquisition by the City of Annecy 1962 (≈ 1962)
Purchase to build an MJC.
1963-1968
Construction of tranche 1
Construction of tranche 1 1963-1968 (≈ 1966)
W building and Wogenscky residence.
1968-1974
Construction of tranche 2
Construction of tranche 2 1968-1974 (≈ 1971)
M building inaugurated in 1974.
1995
Departure of the MJC
Departure of the MJC 1995 (≈ 1995)
Replaced by ESAA.
1998
Addition of Brise-Glace
Addition of Brise-Glace 1998 (≈ 1998)
Transplanted concert hall.
2024
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 2024 (≈ 2024)
Protection of buildings W, M and facades.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
All the Marquisats, located 52 and 52 bis rue des Marquisats, for the W and M buildings (with the exception of the more recent Brise Glace building), and facades and roofs for the Wogenscky residence; The inscription also includes the parcels on which the buildings are situated and the adjacent parcels listed in that order, namely: No. 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 118, 120, 148, 149, 150, 156, 159, 161, shown in the cadastre section CM: inscription by order of 3 July 2024
Key figures
André Wogenscky - Architect
Designer of slice 1.
Louis Miquel - Architect
Author of tranche 2.
Origin and history
The Marquisats site, located on the west bank of Lake Annecy, is a major architectural complex of the 20th century, designed by André Wogenscky and Louis Miquel, followers of Le Corbusier. It consists of two distinct blocks: Building W (with housing towers) and Building M (home to the Brise-Glace), as well as the Wogenscky Residence, higher in height. These rough concrete structures, staggered on the slope, illustrate a fluid architectural walk, integrating transparencies, loggias and sets of straight lines, while adapting to topography. The landscaped gardens and the carefully arranged interior paths preserve an impression of horizontality despite the elevation.
The project succeeds a former bourgeois property, requisitioned after the Liberation to set up a cultural center. In 1962, the City of Annecy acquired the site to build a Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture (MJC). The first tranche (1963-1968), entrusted to Wogenscky, includes a horizontal volume federated by the MJC equipment and two towers of housing. The second section (from 1968), led by Miquel, adds a theatre, a gymnasium and multi-purpose spaces, connected by ramps. The ensemble was inaugurated in 1974.
Over the decades, buildings have undergone transformations due to changes in usage: the MJC left the premises in 1995 for the École supérieure d'arts d'Annecy (ESAA), and the Brise-Glace, a concert hall, was added in 1998. Today, the site is shared between ESAA, housing managed by Haute-Savoie Habitat, and sports and cultural facilities. Labeled Contemporary Architecture Remarkable, it is the subject of a rehabilitation project aimed at reconciling modern standards (accessibility, ecology) and preserving its original spatial fluidity.
The history of the site also reflects troubled periods: occupied by the militia between 1943 and 1944, it becomes after the Liberation a place dedicated to formation and culture. Its architecture, marked by brutalism and corbusian influence, makes it a unique testimony of modern urbanism in France, where concrete, nature and functionality interact harmoniously. The ovoid facades, the loggias and the interior light games recall the plastic rigor dear to Le Corbusier, while the recent rehabilitations introduce colorful touches inspired by Piet Mondrian.
The W and M buildings, protected in total (excluding Brise-Glace), as well as the facades and roofs of the Wogenscky Residence, have been listed as Historic Monuments since July 2024. The site is located in a wooded plot of 12 hectares, in a protected area (SPR), and remains a living place, mixing architectural heritage, student life and cultural activities. Its future now depends on a balance between conservation and adaptation to contemporary challenges.
