Category: Projects

The Coldrerio retirement home in the New Intergenerational District bears the signature of Architetti Tibiletti Associati Studios, winner of the 118 participants in the competition. Her project “Marigold Hotel” proposes a solution that takes into account both the needs of the third and fourth age as well as our new way of life, more individual than in the past and with weak family ties, therefore with a lower inclination to care for the elderly, often left alone. Thinking about the architecture of new retirement homes means taking into account socio-demographic change and the growth of the elderly population, as well as developing the need to develop prevention and active aging in order to promote the preservation of the autonomy and physical independence of the elderly for as long as possible.

The Casa San Rocco di Morbio Inferiore Foundation, in agreement with the municipalities of Coldrerio and Vacallo, has set itself the goal of creating two generation houses for the elderly and expanding the Morbio Inferiore location to a total of 259 beds. The three generation houses will be part of the future “Parco San Rocco” and offer services that are not only accessible to residents, but also to the public. They transform retirement homes into a place of care and well-being for all age groups: from childhood to fourth age. Of the three future houses in the park, the only one that has already defined the spaces and services is that of Coldrerio.

The project
The location of the competition, where the future “Marigold Hotel” will be built, is located near one of the three historical centers of Coldrerio, which are characterized by a number of public and school buildings. The intervention area is located in a green, central and valuable area, even if it is currently without identity and recognizability. It includes the parish hall, the kindergarten as well as the elementary school and sports equipment. Some existing public and private buildings will have to be demolished for the construction of the New Intergenerational District.

The design concept includes the creation of a meeting room for the community, a connection between these new public buildings
blici, in synergy with each other. This meeting room is defined by the harmonious arrangement of three volumes, the retirement home, a multi-purpose center and a home for self-sufficient elderly people, which are built in such a way that they can be integrated into the urban situation by repairing their parts. The aim is to put a whole back together that enhances the place, to create a square and a garden that help improve the quality of life in the neighborhood and promote social integration.
le and cross-generational.

The new district caters to a wide audience of users (students, singles, families, early retirees, retirees, people with reduced mobility, etc.). The sector includes a new old people’s home with 79 beds on the ground floor, which is characterized by publicly accessible services (bakery, multipurpose rooms, outdoor terraces, hairdresser, doctor’s office, etc.), on the upper floors from the guest rooms a center for health prevention (exercise room, special equipment , Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry) and an Alzheimer’s ward with its own garden; a new multi-purpose center, the ground floor of which houses the party and event room, the youth center, the kindergarten and, on the upper floors, the after-school services, the playroom and the classrooms for the afternoons
School, multi-purpose rooms and administrative rooms; Finally, the sector includes a new independent structure with 8 apartments for the elderly, sharing a laundry and multipurpose room, open to the garden and facing the new mineral square, characterized by a piece of water that flows into the Located in the middle of the new building.

The green areas
Particular attention has been paid to the maintenance of the outdoor areas by including elements to carry out activities for all ages: near the stationery, the green space is dedicated to relaxation and accessible to all; On the other hand, near the primary school, equipment and games for children are offered in the green area. The green area in front of the new multi-purpose center is dedicated to the conference area. Finally, the area next to the retirement home will include pools for garden and vegetable gardens.

These 4 green spaces are linked by a path that creates a link between the different generations, encouraging the cross-generational nature of the sector.

Energy considerations
The buildings meet the Minergie standards and take sustainability criteria into account. ■

The history of this majestic building began in 1845 when the parish priest of Agra, Don Alberto Poncini, decided to build the family house on a spacious plot with a large garden. The use remained unchanged for several decades until, in the first half of the 20th century, the Palazzo Poncini was converted into a hotel that housed relatives who visited the patients of the nearby sanatorium of the “Deutsche Heilstätte” foundation, where tuberculosis was treated became. Agra, the highest town of the Collina d’Oro (550 meters above sea level), is characterized by an ideal air for heliotherapy treatments, the therapeutic concept of which was based precisely on the air quality and the sun. Treatments abandoned after the discovery of penicillin by deciding to close the sanatorium and convert the nearby hotel into a vacation home for young people until it was finally closed in the early 1980s.

The rest is current: a few years ago the architects Bruno Huber and Angelo Renzetti, both established specialists, fell in love with the place and decided to take over the property, which was practically intact in its original form, with its grandiose structures and agricultural buildings. Outbuildings where everything was made at the time to provide guests with natural products. In fact, on the hillside downstream of the building, there are important areas where fruit and vegetables were grown, while a large heated greenhouse ensured production year-round.

Back to the origins
At this point, the desire of the two Ticino architects to get closer to nature becomes a project to revitalize the Palazzo Poncini according to the most modern living standards while at the same time keeping intact the external structure, which is now a protected architectural asset. Work has already started and 18 apartments are under construction, all of which differ from each other because they are derived from the original structure. And all in direct contact with nature. Indeed, the palace will be surrounded by gardens following a new vision of native greenery, in which spices and medicinal plants visible from the balconies and windows will be grown, albeit for purely decorative purposes. Residents also have access to a large communal leisure area with swimming pool and summer kitchen, where they can spend their free time with friends.

The architect Bruno Huber explains to us: “The new residential address aims to propose a type of house that is characterized by a strong bond with nature, which is very present in Agra. The architectural intervention is not limited here to the realization of the artifacts, but also extends to an integrated concept of the coexistence of nature and buildings ». The palace rests on the old core of Agra and opens up to the valley and the fields that are planted with vines and vegetables, all strictly organic. The connection with nature will not only be visual: a free shop offers the opportunity to buy vegetables and fresh fruit produced on the property zero kilometers away, as well as honey produced in the nearby fields. The same goes for wine: interspecific vines are planted that require very few treatments, and the grapes are vinified on site for the palace.

In the green with maximum comfort
Bruno Huber again: “The Palazzo not only wants to be tied to the strong nature that surrounds it, but also to act as a bridge between the past and the future, and under the guise of the past a heart beats that looks to the future of life”. Starting with the parking lots, all underground and with charges for electric cars. Directly from the parking lot you have access to the cellars, which become real pantries next to the garage. And when you think about the future of food supply, there are some cold rooms in the entrance hall in combination with the residential units for receiving the “grocery delivery”: the courier places the purchases in the air-conditioned compartment of the person who placed the order. After returning after work, shopping is done.

The ecological sustainability will also be maximized and a centralized collection for composting is planned, which will then be reused in the vegetable gardens and in the two old restored greenhouses for the production of the first fruits. The building, insulated according to the strict regulations in force, is heated by a heat pump and in summer the floors are cooled to ensure a high level of comfort in all seasons. Very low energy consumption is expected, which will have a positive effect on the cost of the condominiums.

The remodeling of Palazzo Poncini is part of a larger renovation project of the entire annexed property, in which the old rural structures are being renovated. The first phase, which will end in connection with the building, will be the creation of a small “charming” hotel with 18 mini-apartments. In the other volumes is the wine shop with wines made in the hills. The area is dedicated to catering for tastings and dinners or events related to the production of Collina d’oro wines. ■

Bruno Huber in brief

Bruno Huber completed his architecture studies at the Polytechnic Zurich in 1982. After several stages in Switzerland and abroad, he joined his father Alex, with whom he worked until 1992. He later opened an independent studio with his brother Matteo, urban architect. and continues its activity by participating in numerous national and international competitions. He was a member of various international architecture juries and has created industrial, administrative and residential buildings in Europe, Australia and the USA. Bruno Huber Architetti also deals with aspects of interior architecture and design.

The new elementary school will be built in an area that is now the soccer field, playground and kindergarten. The name of the project that won the first prize for design
and that sees as head of the Bonetti and Bonetti architects studio in collaboration with the architect Fabio Regazzoni is «Pivot», for the specifications described below.

The project manages to precisely organize a now rather fragmented space that is intelligently reconfigured thanks to a convincing arrangement of volumes that can create high-quality public spaces.

The intent of the designers was to reaffirm the public value of the sector and restore correct relationships with the large scale of the landscape (the “promontory” with the church and the great)
free noro in the west) and with the small scale of the more immediate context: the network of pedestrian paths towards the hill, the kindergarten and the core, the slope in the north.

The project
The fitness studio building on Kantonsstrasse announces the public sector and acts as a fulcrum – a “fulcrum” – between the two proposed reference areas: the arrival area with parking spaces and the one in relation to the large emptiness of the ground floor, that houses the school square.

The new primary school, more distant and more discreet, redesigns the foot of the promontory on which the Kindergarten and the Church of S. Biagio are located, while the new urban warehouses help complete the eastern front of the arrival square and form a fifth towards it the private buildings near the competition site.

The long and narrow building of the new school extends over two levels and, thanks to its low height, offers a clear view of the core and the church.

The school square offers a generous horizontal area that extends over the entire length of the site from north to south. The paved play area and a green area that is open for various purposes find their place in this room. A pedestrian ramp leads to the kindergarten in the direction of the hill to the north.

The high school building, which looks like a structure suspended from eight columns, is organized on two levels to respond to different needs: that of the football club on the ground floor and that of the school in the basement. The decision to bury the gym limits the volumetric impact of the construction while allowing a harmonious relationship with the school and the adjacent schools
Centon canton road. This volume with a sleek and abstract language enters into a dialogue with the size of the landscape and against the backdrop of the Magliaso promontory dominated by the church of San Biagio.

The building is expressed in a powerful structure that lifts a roof to reveal part of the ground floor to the public. This creates a spacious portico in which the football bar and access to the fitness studio are located. In the basement there is the gym, changing rooms, storage rooms and all contents closely related to the gym.

The city warehouses are located on the eastern edge of the arrivals area. The building consists of a simple volume that directs its entrances to the square in continuity with the existing one. The vehicle is accessed via an independent connection to the cantonal road.

The school consists of a repeating reinforced concrete structure that defines a modular opening into which a window is inserted, made up of a large solid glass element and a narrow opening panel. The frames are made of metal.

Energy considerations – Minergie
In view of the large areas of glass and the heavy presence of people, a system with full air heating and internal temperature control was proposed. The calf
Passive heat due to the strong presence of people, devices and, to a small extent, the solar contribution makes a significant contribution to compensating for the total heat losses. In the summer months, solar heat can be disadvantageous and requires careful balancing and control, which is achieved through a low energy transfer factor of the glass (g <0.30) and controlled sun protection according to the orientation of the facades and solar radiation.

The project includes covering with photovoltaic modules on an indicative surface of around 750 m2.

The acoustics of the rooms are regulated by special sound-absorbing elements that also contain the LED lighting. ■