Recovery of the Masseria of Cornaredo

In 2019, the Municipal Government of Lugano signed an agreement with the Fondazione Francesco per l'aiuto sociale with the goal of restoring the Masseria of Cornaredo and its wine press, a cultural asset of cantonal interest. The proposal, based on the establishment of a standalone and permanent surface right between the City of Lugano and the Fondazione, was approved by the City Parliament that same year.

The project, supported by the Rotary Club Lugano Lago, enabled the architectural and structural restoration of the complex and the integration of new functionalities. Renovation work was completed in October 2023, and the Masseria is now managed by the Fondazione Francesco.

Through this initiative, the City of Lugano sought to make a valuable, long-unused building available to the public while supporting the social objectives of the Fondazione Francesco.

The Fondazione’s project transformed the Masseria of Cornaredo into a structure open to the city, with the two wings of the building extending southward in a symbolic embrace.

Over time, new urban and functional synergies will be created, involving cultural, social, and administrative activities, benefitting the population with new spaces for community engagement and opportunities to expand the boundaries of solidarity.

The recovery intervention

The building required restoration to meet current standards of usability and compliance with building regulations.

The intervention, primarily conservative, allowed for the preservation of the facades and the perimeter walls, the creation of a new staircase with an elevator, roof refurbishment, the restoration of architectural and structural elements, and the integration of modern utilities.

The southern end of the west wing houses the canteen. The shared-use facilities are organized around the courtyard, the focal point of the building: a canteen and restaurant with a shared kitchen/workspace, multipurpose spaces, and a wine bar/shop featuring local products.

The upper floor is dedicated to a bed & breakfast with about ten rooms, a meeting room, and the administrative offices of the Fondazione Francesco and ACLI. The outdoor area has been transformed into a public green space, synergistically linked with the "Biodiversità in città" (Biodiversity in the City) project and the urban orchard, created by the City in cooperation with ProFrutteti and the Alleanza Territorio e Biodiversità, in the adjacent area.

The agreement between the City and Fondazione Francesco

The agreement established a distinct and permanent surface right lasting 35 years, with the Fondazione Francesco per l'aiuto sociale as the beneficiary. The Fondazione Francesco pays the City a symbolic annual fee of one franc after having restored the Masseria with support from the Rotary Club Lugano Lago and other private charitable organizations.

The restoration of the Masseria was the result of collaboration among numerous entities. The Rotary Club Lugano Lago coordinated the project and the restoration site, facilitating the search for funding. The Fondazione Francesco manages the activities of the canteen (Centro Bethlehem) and other spaces within the Masseria (including the room housing the press).

The City of Lugano, through the Divisione edilizia pubblica (Division of Public Construction), supported the overall project by providing specific assistance. For the part relating to the lever press, the City acted as the main contractor, handling both the financial and technical management of this section. This included gathering the necessary bids, awarding contracts, and closely monitoring the execution phase up to the settlement of the contracted activities. Notably, the disassembly and reassembly of the press were supervised, as these required careful coordination with the works managed by the Fondazione Francesco.

The history of the Masseria and the start of construction

The Masseria of Cornaredo occupies a portion of land that once belonged to the Castello di Trevano, built between 1186 and 1190. Purchased by the Municipality in 1913, it had been uninhabited since 1989. In addition to residential spaces, stables, and a barn, the building historically served various agricultural purposes. It is a courtyard complex of rustic Lombard architecture, a significant testimony to the rural farming culture of the Lugano countryside.

The Masseria complex is located within the Municipality of Porza and is protected as a cultural asset of local interest.

As part of the restoration works of the Masseria of Cornaredo, the City of Lugano supported the conservation of the large lever press located on the ground floor in the right wing of the building, which is protected as a cultural asset of cantonal interest.

Due to years of exposure to the elements, the press was severely degraded biologically, particularly in its lower parts, compromising its natural hardness, elasticity, and wood resistance, as well as its aesthetic appearance.

It underwent a conservation restoration process coordinated with the renovation of the Masseria and in collaboration with the Ufficio dei Beni Culturali dello stato del Cantone Ticino (Cultural Heritage Office of the Canton of Ticino), the authority responsible for approving the details of interventions on cantonally protected assets.

The restoration project, financed by the City with an investment of CHF 400,000, received a cantonal contribution of approximately CHF 86,000.

Construction activities for the recovery of the Masseria of Cornaredo complex began in April 2021 and were completed in November 2023.

Last update: 16 November 2023