Simon Studer Art | Associés

Uni Dufour Miyajima/Perlingeiro

Cosmic Symphony

In 1997, marking the bicentennial anniversary of Darier Hentsch & Cie Bank, an artistic competition was organized around the architectural identity of the Geneva University, Uni Dufour building. Amongst the 249 presented projects, two won the competition: Fortress of Human Rights, by Tatsuo Miyajima and Vegetal Project, by Maria-Carmen Perlingeiro.

“In my opinion, education should serve to teach the importance of human rights thus avoiding their violation. The importance of knowledge along with the principles of communication and harmony between people should be taught at university.” These are the reasons Tatsuo Miyajima chose the theme of Human Rights to be the center of his project.


“The counters I installed on Uni Dufour reflect the images of their surroundings. When night falls, the numbers lighten up and start twinkling. On the 24th of July 1997, 222 people were chosen through a lottery in order to determine the speed of each counter. 222 individual rhythms were consequently registered on Uni Dufour's facades. The counters were of two colors: red and green. These complementary colors represent both the harmony and discrimination that exists between human beings." 

As in a cosmic symphony, with its 222 counters, the Uni Dufour University building creates a harmonious ensemble, a victorious hymn to the triumph of human rights.

Vegetal Project

"This project is about the valorization of the building by the transformation of its surroundings. My intervention is about establishing a dialogue between the building and its environment, thus offering better perception of this edifice.”

The greenery planted on the site was chosen because of its specific botanical qualities and morphology. The development of this Vegetal Project will be defined by seasonal cycles and by time, necessary for the plants to grow and blossom. Referring to the proximate Parc de Bastions, Maria-Carmen Perlingeiro combined mineral and vegetal elements to create a “breathing space” around the building.