In the heart of the City of Geneva sits the Halles de l’Ile. The dream of the socialist municipal councilor, Joëlle Bertossa: to see a hip-hop house or even a space dedicated to virtual reality (VR) emerge on this floating island in the middle of the Rhône. She therefore proposed to the Administrative Council to study the possibility of installing a “center for emerging culture” there. With the support of the three Alternative parties (Socialist Party, Greens and Ensemble à Gauche), it is expected that the motion will be voted on in the plenary session on Wednesday evening. “The implementation of the project will certainly be more complex, but the objective is to start thinking about it,” indicated the elected socialist, who is also a candidate for Town Hall.
Occupied since 2009 by a brewery, this space is the subject of a legal dispute between the City and the manager. In March 2024, Municipal Property Management (GIM) terminated the lease of the Brasserie des Halles. The manager appealed. The case is pending before the Lease and Rent Tribunal and should be resolved in 2026. “We should recover the Halles de l’Ile,” argued Joëlle Bertossa. The goal is to anticipate. And this, in order not to find ourselves in the situation that we experienced with the old Comédie or with the Palladium.
The municipal councilor also highlighted the continuity of this project with the Factory, the Motive Forces Building, etc. “The district could thus logically be structured around the cultural theme.” Highlighting the lack of cultural venues, she added: “It would not meet all needs, but there would be at least 600 m2 dedicated to culture.”
Not to mention the possibility, according to her, of converting the offices into artistic workshops or focused on VR. “Today, many visual artists leave for Berlin or Brussels even though we have undeniable local talent in this field.” And to conclude by emphasizing the added value of such a center on an economic level: “Digital creation is looking towards the economy, for example with the whole aspect linked to video games. Furthermore, if we held concerts, the City could receive the proceeds from the ticket office and the refreshment bar.”
