Vallée Archipel - a NEXPO initiative
13. September 2020, NEXPO Team
The emergence of a common vision for the Rhône Valley
Vallée Archipel (‘Archipelago Valley’) is a project stemming from a private initiative by the mijong office based in Sion and Zurich. Its aim is to establish a collective narrative stretching along the 160 km of the Rhône Valley by compiling the different perceptions that its residents have of it and the different figures involved.
Vallée Archipel, a NEXPO initiative © Yann Gross, Horizonville
This project, which will keep evolving from 2020 to 2030, seeks to explore the social and cultural aspects of the region, and acts as a tool for raising awareness of the landscape, the built environment and our identity, with the aim of reaching a wide audience. Each year, various projects will enrich the narrative.Using a participatory approach, they will tackle the issues of the territory and offer those involved the chance to take action and improve their way of living based on the challenges identified.
The project showcases the constructed islands, dispersed over a valley comprising 144 municipalities in Valais and Vaud, with a view to making the most of what already exists and incorporating it into a network. The question of what is perceived as “common territory” is the main focus of reflection. Starting with the matter of community living and the common values of tomorrow, the project invites us to reflect, share and plan together for the future.
Supported by the Culture Department of the Canton of Valais, as well as by the Antenne Régions Valais Romand association, Vallée Archipel has been labelled a “NEXPO pilot project” owing to the quality of the reflection generated on the role of territory as a resource for a changing Switzerland. In addition, it demonstrates NEXPO’s decision to open its doors to fledgling initiatives and tests the principle of decentralisation for the next national exhibition.
Interviews exploratoires © mijong, Vallée Archipel
Why I am NEXPO
Switzerland is launching a dialogue throughout its territory, interacting across its population by a reflection on its cultural diversity, beyond its differences. The local level is given great emphasis, rounded out and connected up into a network, as the community takes time to contemplate together.
It is a unique opportunity to reflect on our future together and to gather all the disciplines linked to the definition of our territory with the aim of creating a common narrative of the 22nd century. The public plays an integral part in the co-creation process.
A Switzerland in dialogue with itself, capable of conversing and moulding its story in an open, fun way. Vallée Archipel is designed on the basis of this logic and constructs this narrative at the level of the entire Rhône Valley from 2021 onward, when participatory projects will launch and build up annually and gradually with a view to creating a unifying narrative.
The Vallée Archipel team is delighted to be NEXPO, as it believes in exchanging, sharing and experiencing things together as a tool for shaping our environment in the widest sense. We share this desire to explore Switzerland through its existing interfaces, be they historical or new, as a reflection of our present and future identity..
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