«STUDIO SERGISON LOCARNO An Exhibition of Student’s Projects from Accademia di Mendrisio»

Quality densification in Locarno according to the students of the Academy of Architecture: Prof. Jonathan Sergison's studio at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio promoted an atelier dedicated to our city and specifically to the Rusca and Saleggi neighbourhoods during a recent semester. The students tackled the not easy task of densifying the existing urban fabric, offering quality living spaces, correctly related to the surrounding public spaces. The excellent work carried out offers several points for reflection in view of the elaboration of the Municipal Action Programme (PAC), a strategic instrument foreseen in the cantonal R6 Master Plan, on quality centripetal development. Mayor Nicola Pini: «Over the past two years we have put a lot of effort into collecting documents, proposals and suggestions of various kinds, through constant dialogue with the population and specialists in the field, in order to define the Locarno of 2040.» The students’ projects will be exhibited at the PalaCinema from 7 to 13 July 2025.

The development of the Urban Action Programme (PAC) is proceeding according to the plan drawn up by the City Council, which will receive special attention this autumn with the intention of presenting the results at the beginning of 2026 and launching a new phase of consultation and public participation. The fact that the Academy of Architecture, and in particular Prof. Sergison's studio, has chosen our city for the students’ term project once again demonstrates the interest in Locarno’s urban development as a laboratory for testing possible solutions to the challenges that every city will have to face in the near future. These include high-quality centripetal development, but also the renovation of the housing stock and public spaces, aspects of climate change and the residential component in city centres (quality of life). The exhibition, which includes in particular the plans with the eleven case studies identified in the Rusca and Saleggi districts as well as a model with the individual interventions, is open to the public free of charge from Monday 7 July to Sunday 13 July 2025 in the Spazio PalaCinema on the third floor of the building (accessible via the foyer lift) daily from 9:00 to 19:00.

All documents can be downloaded from the City’s website, by accessing the Municipal Action Programme page (under “Themes”). The Municipality is convinced that these forms of collaboration with the academic world are a source of enrichment and debate in the context of the socio-cultural development of the City.

Press Release (Italian)