Located in the lush Valancy park, the Centre de Vie Enfantine is by the architect Rodolphe Lüscher. It was created for a contest and built in 1988 and 1989. It offers an exemplary child-care programme. It is made up of three pavilions placed side by side, covered with metal and resting on a concrete base. Inside, all of the rooms, including the kitchen, are open to one another, allowing for maximum communication.
The architectural elements and the furniture are covered in a wide array of materials and colours. Their dimensions have been adapted to the size of children. All of the technical elements, like the water pipes and electrical ducts, are visible. The main concepts of sensory awakening, game-playing and pedagogy are revealed in this high-tech building, which obtained the Vaud Distinction of Architecture in 1989. Rodolphe Lüscher has enjoyed an international career. In Lausanne, he is also responsible for the radio communication building on the EPFL site.
