From 2027, La Collective will be a unique space in the heart of Geneva, offering services and activities for women and gender minorities, a café-restaurant, the Filigrane library, the Espace Santé Femmes*, a day nursery, cultural activities for the general public, offices for associations, as well as accommodation for women in precarious situations, senior women and students. Open to the city, La Collective will also host events for the general public to help build an egalitarian, supportive and inclusive society.
This multifunctional reception centre and social innovation laboratory, dedicated to equality issues and open to the general public, was dreamt up over 10 years ago by the F-information team and developed with the Réseau femmes* associations. Since 2022, it has been taking shape under the aegis of the Foundation for Gender Equality (FEG).
La Collective project was born out of the need to create a space dedicated to the missions of the various women’s and feminist associations in Geneva, to facilitate access for their members, and to offer activities that create social links between people from different backgrounds.
Our ambition is to become an innovative and inclusive space, dedicated to promoting gender equality and meeting the diverse needs of women and gender minorities.
A place built together
La Collective’s ambitious and innovative project has been built and developed in close collaboration with the associations of the Réseau femmes*, who have been closely involved in the conceptualisation of the plans and the operation of the space. The different spaces have been defined together with the institutions concerned to ensure that they best meet the needs of future users. The aim is also to encourage pooling and sharing ressources between the associations that will move into La Collective.
The name ‘La Collective’, chosen during participatory workshops, is an emblematic example of the co-creation of this multiple and plural space.
Partners
The associations within the Réseau femmes* have been involved in La Collective project since its inception. In 2027, several of these organisations will transition into the building: décadréE and SOS-Femmes will set up their offices there, as well as F-information with the Filigrane library, while the Aux 6 logis association will manage the relay accommodation. Workshops and other events from l’Espace Santé Femmes* will also take place at la Collective.
Other associations will use the various spaces for regular or occasional activities, including Voie-F, which will manage the digital space, AVVEC, which will run its drop-in centre for women victims of domestic violence, and découvrir, which will use the spaces for its French classes for migrants.
La Collective will be open to partnerships with all types of organisations working towards the same goal.
Plans
La Collective is located in the heart of Geneva, in two buildings dating from the late 19th century, at 20 Boulevard des Philosophes. The building offers a total surface area of 3,500m2 over 9 levels (2 basements, ground floor and 6 upper floors). Renovation work began in October 2024 and the converted building will reopen in early 2027.
The plans are indicative and may be subject to change as the project progresses.
Project timeline
Apr.
2022
Feb.
2023
Dec.
2023
Oct.
2024
Start of work
End
2026
Opening
Project definition, co-creation, vision, mission and governance workshops
Use of premises by associations, art exhibitions and events
Implementation of the project