Pierrot—a homophone of the French words “pierre” (rock) and “eau” (water)—evokes two characteristic features of the shore of Lake Geneva. The rocks form a protective rampart that shields the shoreline from the erosive power of the water. Yet their slippery surface and irregular shape also obstruct access to the lake.

These rocky outcrops are punctuated by platforms of different sizes, small ones for crossing and large ones for relaxing on, allowing bathers to reach the lake while protecting the delicate and rare ecosystems that surround them. These platforms, constructed from wood and wire mesh filled with pebbles, hug the shape of the rocks and provide a new habitat for biodiversity to flourish. Here, the wire mesh—a popular architectural feature—holds large quantities of rocks, exploiting the weight, shape and other characteristics of this natural, locally available material.