Officially, St-Maurice is a city. Yet it seems more like a village, with a mere 4600 inhabitants living there, secluded between the steep mountains of the Rhone valley. There is a central pedestrian area, the “Grand Rue”, lined by medieval buildings that are subject to historic preservation. However, many buildings are abandoned.

To revive the heart of the village, the municipality purchased three adjacent and vacant houses. GayMenzel diligently transformed them into a gallery, studios for handicapped artists, and three apartments.