The Jardin des Cimes is a 2.5-hectare garden open to the public near Sallanches in Haute-Savoie. Its scenographic trail is a tool for understanding the flora and fauna of this mountainous region. This garden on the slopes of a mountain presented a topography to invest in, a territory to inhabit for the duration of a residency to design an irrigation system.
Topique-eau des Cimes is a local rainwater network used to irrigate a vegetable garden located below the garden. Taking into account the steep slope of the land and the sensitive integration of the system into the landscape, the four-stage system covers water collection, conveyance and distribution.
Collecting. The first element of this network is a rainwater collector made of fiberglass and textiles. With a diameter of 3 meters, it recovers around 500 liters of water per month, enough to supply the vegetable garden. Rainwater settles on this lightweight structure and is collected by a distributor.
Distribute. A ceramic part placed under the recuperator receives the water and distributes it throughout the network.
Storage and transport. Today's commercial rainwater harvesting systems can store large volumes of water (usually 300 liters), but there are few systems that can convey this water to the plots that need it. Topique-eau des Cimes proposes to store and convey the flow using a single element: a 4 cm diameter polyethylene pipe. This element has also been designed to be part of the garden landscape, its presence making the water's path visible to visitors.
Distribute. Three types of chamotte stoneware pieces have been designed and placed specifically in plots requiring a specific irrigation mode. The first offers rain irrigation for seedlings; connected to the hose, its flow can be controlled by a valve. The second is a basin that can be filled with a watering can for manual watering. Finally, the third is a water diffuser for planting: water flows through the holes in the piece to irrigate the soil.
A workshop with 7th graders from the Passy Middle School was organized at the Jardin des Cimes. The challenge was to design irrigation systems using rainwater.
Dimensions: variable.
Materials: polypropylene pipe, chamotte stoneware, textile, fiberglass frame.
Team: Isabelle Daëron, Chloé Heyraud, Association Jardin des Cimes, Champs des Cimes, Antoine Auffret, Anne-Boscolo-Cavin and
Alain Cavin, Fleur Moreau (intern), Justine Andrieu.
The project was carried out with the support of the Conseil Général de Haute-Savoie, the Mairie de Passy, and the Quechua company.
Materials: polypropylene pipe, chamotte stoneware, textile, fiberglass frame.
Team: Isabelle Daëron, Chloé Heyraud, Association Jardin des Cimes, Champs des Cimes, Antoine Auffret, Anne-Boscolo-Cavin and
Alain Cavin, Fleur Moreau (intern), Justine Andrieu.
The project was carried out with the support of the Conseil Général de Haute-Savoie, the Mairie de Passy, and the Quechua company.