Our projects
Le Barillon
In November 2023, Philénis acquired a former hotel in the heart of the Pâquis district. Renovated by the Foundation, this establishment comprises 24 furnished rooms, a reception and security services.
There are three rental categories at « Le Barillon »:
- A : Hotel-apartment-style rooms for rental periods of one to three months, renewable. Furnished with TV, microwave and fridge, these rooms are spread over three floors with access to a shared kitchen and laundry facilities.
- B : Rooms booked for short stays, from 1 to 14 nights, with a maximum of 90 nights per year. Reservation
- C : Rooms available for very short stays, from 30 minutes to 3 hours (theme rooms). Reservation
Important: Regarding the law L_PROST, the Barillon is run as an « erotic massage center ». To rent a room, sex workers must be legally registered in Geneva with the police BTPI.
The Barillon project creates a favorable environment for sex workers, limiting financial pressures and giving them real autonomy in their work. The sex workers themselves book the rooms directly and have no intermediaries.
In addition to the premises, the Barillon is also an ideal place for disseminating useful information, for example on health, prevention, and important referral contacts
Rue Pellegrino-Rossi
In June 2022, the Foundation acquired its first building in the Pâquis district (Geneva), to provide a special place to live and work for sex workers. The five-storey building houses 19 small, unfurnished individual apartments, as well as a commercial lease on the first floor, currently occupied by a bar-restaurant.
Since its acquisition, Philénis has renovated two apartments following departures, providing quality accommodation for two new tenants, and has implemented a change of the building/real estate management to promote efficient, tenant-friendly management, which has been very favorably received in the building.
The building is home to 19 sex workers, most of whom also work on site. Each resident has a direct lease in her own name, with a rental rate in line with Geneva market prices.
Studios Rue de Berne
Two studio flats on Rue de Berne provide a safe living environment for sex workers outside their professional activities. They are exclusively reserved for residential use, and sex work inside the apartments is prohibited.
These studios adress a crucial need to provide a stable and affordable living space for sex workers, who are often excluded from the Geneva real estate market due to their professional activity.