City of Music

The buildings of the Radiotelevisione della Svizzera italiana (RSI) in Besso are an important cultural asset that the City of Lugano intends to purchase with the goal of creating the City of Music, a new center of excellence dedicated to musical education, sound heritage, and the leading national and international entities in the field of music within the municipal area and beyond.

To this end, the City Parliament approved a credit of CHF 21.25 million in March 2023, endorsing the proposal of the City Council, which has long pursued a growth policy focused on promoting new research and educational hubs, as outlined in the 2018-2028 development guidelines. It is estimated that the City of Music will generate private investments exceeding CHF 55 million, with the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana and the Swiss National Sound Archives at its core.

The objectives of the initiative

The City of Music project aims primarily to anchor important institutions already active in the music sector at the municipal, cantonal, national, and international levels to the city's territory, contributing to making the cultural landscape of the City (and the Canton of Ticino) richer and of high quality.

Moreover, it will bring an additional creative impulse to Lugano that goes far beyond the local musical context. The project seeks to foster the development of collaborations among various stakeholders and multiple activities at different levels, creating growth opportunities and significant cultural and economic benefits for citizens and the broader cantonal territory.

The uniqueness of the project lies in its ability to develop, in an unprecedented and unique way in Switzerland, not just one aspect of the music system but the entire sector. While the Lugano Arte Cultura (LAC) center focuses mainly on dissemination, the City of Music encompasses the entire chain, with a particular focus on training and production activities.

Thus, it represents a true ecosystem that, in constant dialogue with the LAC, will encompass all aspects related to the sector: music education (at all levels, from children to adults, from bachelor’s degrees to advanced training), original creation, research, production, public presentation (concerts, performances, and festivals), recording, dissemination (from radio to the web), cataloging, protection, and preservation of sound recordings on any medium (from vinyl to digital).

The planned structure will also provide space for other high-quality music-related activities in the area, offering workspaces (rehearsal rooms), social spaces (restaurant and bar), and study and research facilities (library and listening stations). It will also serve as an attractive meeting and exchange point for citizens (thanks in part to a public park).

A new model of collaboration between public and private entities

The City will acquire the complex for CHF 21.25 million, subsequently establishing two surface rights for CSI and FN. The two institutions will bear the costs of transforming and constructing new buildings, totaling CHF 55 million (45 million for the Conservatorio and 10 million for the Fonoteca), and will pay the City fees that will allow for the reimbursement of the investment.

The choice of the architectural project

In November 2023, the Fondazione Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana announced that the "Pussar" project by the Architecture Club of Basel was chosen as the winner of the competition for the City of Music. The project was selected by a highly qualified jury tasked with anonymously evaluating twelve architectural proposals. Additionally, a website entirely dedicated to the project has been launched.

Next steps

With the conclusion of the architectural competition, it is now possible to prepare an adjustment to the Land Use Plan regarding the currently permitted uses within the area.

Last updated: 13 December 2023