Redevelopment of the Carona Swimming Center

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Context

In 2021, the City of Lugano launched an architectural competition aimed at redeveloping the Carona swimming center through a unified project. The main task was to renovate the existing area and harmoniously integrate new elements into a highly valued natural setting.

Despite declining visitor numbers, the center holds historical significance and remains a hub for sports, recreation, and tourism. Consequently, to keep it accessible to the public, the decision was made to collaborate with a reliable private partner to revitalize the swimming facility.

The Swiss Touring Club (TCS) expressed interest in establishing a Glamping village in this area. Under the project, TCS will manage the actual creation of the village, following planning adjustments and the granting of a land-use right for the designated area, while the City will invest in the swimming facilities, including pools, basic services, restaurants, and changing rooms.

Given the condition of the buildings and their suboptimal layout, competition participants were allowed to propose solutions ranging from the preservation of the existing structures to their complete demolition and reconstruction.

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Architecture

The project that won first prize, named "Tuffo nel verde" (Dive into the Green), aims for a balanced integration of public and private functions. Its defining features are flexibility and resilience, making it easily adaptable to future scenarios. Moreover, it simplifies access and organization by bringing all services funded by the City of Lugano to the pool level. This approach reduces interventions, especially where the current layout has been influenced by overlapping functionalities.

The key element of the new intervention is a simple split wall, symbolically connecting two churches, Madonna d’Ongero and Santa Marta. This wall defines and expands the pool level through a "simple" infill. This architectural feature becomes a territorial landmark that clearly outlines a spacious horizontal plane housing all the facilities needed for the swimming center, including a multipurpose hall, changing rooms, showers, and services.

The concept of a large roof with all areas oriented towards the pools ensures significant functional flexibility, in harmony with the original architectural concept. Furthermore, the use of a wooden structure gives the architecture a character suited to the surrounding environment and its purpose.

Regarding the pools, the large existing pool will be divided into three separate pools, each dedicated to different purposes, to offer a diverse range of sports, leisure, and recreational activities. Additionally, the design includes a diving board and pool, two slides, a pool with a gently sloping bottom resembling a beach equipped with water games and sprays, and a swimmer's pool with three 25-meter lanes.

Sustainability

The new building is expected to meet the requirements of the Minergie standard, and the main sustainability indicators will be observed, with a particular focus on economic and environmental aspects.

Heat for the entire building and pools will be generated by connecting to the district heating network of the Aziende industriali di Lugano (AIL), and ventilation systems will be equipped with heat recovery. A photovoltaic system, sized for the best possible self-consumption and economically manageable, will be installed on the roof surface.

© Orsi and Associates

Last updated: 19 July 2024