Technical rigor, a taste for the old, an eye for detail and the ability to listen: Yannick Moulin, a new member of the Bativert team, embodies a demanding and sensitive approach to high-end renovation. Through a rich career and projects marked by history, he shares with us his vision of a profession where building is as much about the heart as the mind.
Yannick, what brought you to Bativert?
It's a company on the move. I already knew the team well - they're old colleagues - and there's a dynamic at Bativert that I found very healthy and stimulating. The projects are interesting, but above all, there's a clear and ambitious vision, inspired by Bertrand.
How do you perceive Bertrand Duckert's success?
Bertrand has excellent interpersonal skills. He understands the local fabric and knows how to unite talented people around him. He's a person you can trust, which is an essential asset in our business.
What was your career path prior to joining Bativert?
I began my career on the development side, with standard projects that taught me financial rigor and schedule management. Then I gradually moved into renovation, with increasingly complex projects, particularly in Geneva. One of my first major projects here was the refurbishment of the old Pic-Pic factory - a place steeped in history, and not just for Geneva: my grandfather had worked as an engineer at Neyrpic, and in a way I've come full circle.
Since then, renovation has become your preferred field.
Yes, I've gradually found my niche in this field. In my previous experience, I specialized in the renovation of exceptional properties, such as villas of over 1000 m² to be restored, where taste, technique and the ability to interact with a particularly demanding clientele are all required.
What is it about high-end renovation that appeals to you?
It's the attention to detail, the quest for perfection. Building right the first time, thinking through the project as a whole so that it's harmonious and true to the customer's dream. My role is to make the link between the idea and the material, between aesthetics and technical feasibility.
And what about the architect? Where do you fit in?
At Bativert, we provide support, sometimes even upstream, to build coherent, solid teams. We work closely with the architect, interior designer, engineers, craftsmen... My role is to ask the right questions at the right time, to guarantee feasibility without compromising the elegance of the project.
You seem to thrive in this role of demanding but constructive intermediary.
That's what I like. A customer may dream of specific materials such as woodwork, or precious marble... My role is to provide informed answers, it's the ability to say: "Very well, but here are the implications." Costs, deadlines, technical constraints... My job is to make the dream come true and secure it, by meeting the customer's expectations as closely as possible, while complying with current standards.
Tell us about your relationship with old buildings and heritage.
I'm very attached to the history of places. When you restore an 18th-century villa or an apartment in the old town, you're dealing with a form of continuity. You don't cheat the past. But that doesn't mean giving up on modernity. Today's demands for comfort, safety and energy efficiency must be integrated into a subtle dialogue between memory and innovation. It's precisely this balance that fascinates me.
Are there any particular challenges in working with wealthy customers?
Demanding, but very rewarding. Every customer is important, and you have to be a good listener to understand their expectations and help them realize their project. The relational dimension plays a very important part in our job, almost as much as the technical dimension.
Do you manage to retain this clientele?
Often, yes. One successful project leads to another. Recommendations play a big role. When a neighbor or friend visits a house where everything has been thought through to the last detail, it's the best possible calling card.
In addition to high-standard properties, you mentioned a variety of projects - from the swimming pool at the Bellevue Country Club, to farm developments, to an EMS in Hermance... Is it this diversity that nourishes you?
Indeed, we are entrusted with projects of all kinds, each with its own signature, its own DNA. I particularly appreciate the fact that we take all these specificities into account and coordinate them; it's this precision and adaptation to our technical skills that make each project a success. Whether we're working on a commercial property, a farm or a hotel, our quality standards remain the same. It's the ability to create something made-to-measure, fair and sustainable. It's this aspiration that drives me.
If you had to sum up your job in one sentence?
I'd say that a building site is first and foremost a story to be told, and then a work of art to be perpetuated.