Palace Lugano

The urban intervention completes the closure of the old town and extends Via Nassa to the new museum square. The structural articulation of the Palace absorbed into the new building structure, so that proportions, heights, and volumes merge into a clearly legible unity. The project unites historical substance with contemporary additions and creates an ensemble that integrates harmoniously into the context of city and square.

The existing building, which houses the museum and exhibition spaces, is respected for its volumetry and renovated in its structure. The protected facades remain preserved as far as possible, partially reinforced and supplemented. New exhibition spaces emerge on column-free intermediate levels inserted into the existing building floors. The historic windows of the facade remain functionally perceptible inside as well and establish a connection between old and new.

The new building assumes additional functions and expands the program. An L-shaped volume accommodates theater, retail spaces, offices, and apartments. While on the ground floor the public uses such as theater and retail spaces dominate, the privacy of the rooms increases with building height, thus creating a clear hierarchy between publicity and retreat. The theater forms the heart of the new building: a functional, flexibly usable space, complemented by foyers, dressing rooms, and rehearsal rooms, opening itself to urban space.

The project responds to the topographical situation and the urban references. On the side facing Piazza Joan Miró and Piazzetta del Museo, the public functions appear clearly and form new urban points of connection. The new building strengthens the square spaces and supplements the old town with a contemporary cultural offering.

The internal organization follows functional processes. Delivery and technical areas are efficiently located so that operations can proceed smoothly. The exhibition spaces of the museum benefit from flexible spatial structures, while the theater is characterized by clear stage and foyer sequences. Offices and apartments organized through their own accesses, creating a clear separation of the different uses.

With the connection of existing and new buildings, a complex yet coherent whole emerges, which does justice both to the cultural aspiration and to the urban context. The architecture mediates between the historical identity of the Palace and the requirements of contemporary use, resulting in a formative ensemble in the heart of Lugano.

Client: Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik Schweiz

Planning: Rossetti+Wyss Architekten, Lüchinger Meyer Partner AG, Waldhauser Haustechnik AG, Zulauf Seipel Schweingruber GmbH, Planungsgruppe AB, G. Bächli AG

Competition: 2001, Final Round