Norman Gobbi points to sustainability in Ticino
Since September 1, Norman Gobbi has been head of the Construction Division of Canton Ticino. In the interview he shows a clear vision. Sustainability, climate adaptation and close cooperation with municipalities will be the pillars of a new building culture in southern Switzerland. State Councillor Gobbi talks about the balance between densification and landscape protection, the opportunities offered by wood construction and modular concepts. And also about the canton's responsibility for the availability of affordable housing and safe working conditions.
Mr. Gobbi, you have recently been in charge of construction in Canton Ticino. What are your first priorities in this area?
“In my new role as head of the Construction Division, which I have held since September 1, the priority is to initiate contacts with all the main players in the construction sector in Ticino, in order to understand their view of the current situation and prospects-short, medium and long term.”
How do you intend to make spatial planning in Ticino more sustainable, particularly in the delicate balance between densification and landscape protection?
“The canton of Ticino has a very different geographic conformation than the highland cantons. Everything is concentrated in the few square meters of the valley floors, which were already heavily anthropized during the 20th century: this makes it very difficult to reconcile all the functions that the territory has to perform, while ensuring the highest possible degree of sustainability and quality of life. The key lies in forward-looking planning, as well as the patience to remedy, step by step, the mistakes inherited from the past.”
What role does climate change play in your building policy? Are there concrete plans for climate-resilient building in the canton?
“Ticino stretches from 200 to over 3,000 meters above sea level and is therefore particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. The State Council is aware of this and has included mitigation of these phenomena among the goals of its long-term program.”
What is your position on promoting the use of wood and modular construction in public building?
“More than 50 percent of our canton’s land area is covered by forests. So our interest in promoting the use of this abundant and high-quality resource is obvious. The state is there and will play its part in this area: I also expect creative impulses from our Academy of Architecture and, of course, increasing sensitivity from the private sector.”
Housing space in Ticino is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. What strategies will you adopt to create affordable housing?
“Our constitution entrusts the management of these issues, first and foremost, to the municipalities: I consider this a wise choice, since local authorities have an in-depth knowledge of what is happening on the territory and can therefore react promptly to changes in the housing context. That said, the canton is following the issue very closely and is ready to take regulatory action where it is appropriate to do so.”
How will it work with municipalities to ensure consistent and uniform spatial planning?
“The new Federal Law has completely changed the paradigm, and Ticino has incorporated it into its Master Plan: it is clear that-for the reasons related to the conformation of the territory I mentioned-the issue of densification is particularly delicate for our canton. The implementation of this strategy will require a broad debate both among institutions and within society as a whole.”
In German and French-speaking Switzerland, economic promotions are very active. How much energy does the canton and individual districts, respectively, economic regions invest in positioning, and what are they doing concretely?
“Ticino is constantly working to position itself as a dynamic region that is open to innovation. We are just under two hours from the economic hubs of Zurich and Milan, and in the future we can aspire to accommodate realities that want to remain connected to the dynamism of these metropolises without necessarily having to suffer the disadvantages in terms of quality of life.”
What lessons do you draw from your time as safety director for your new role in the construction industry?
“Attention to safety is a ‘mindset,’ and it helps in all situations in life-especially in professions where people risk serious or even fatal injuries. So it will be a priority for me to strengthen awareness on these issues and try to strive for a construction industry where people can work without ever having to fear for their safety.”
How do you manage the transition from a heavily safety-focused area to a more technical one?
“Our militia system encourages us to be ‘enlightened amateurs,’ avoiding overspecialization and maintaining an awareness that the work of the state is not made up of watertight compartments, but of interconnected organs that must work in constant dialogue.”
Do you see your new role as a long-term task or rather as a temporary solution until the end of the legislature in 2027?
“As I have said many times, land management is my great passion after institutions.”
Personal information
Norman Gobbi, 48, is a member of the State Council of the Canton of Ticino and the current President of the Cantonal Government. Born in Quinto and living in Airolo, he is married with two children. After graduating in Communication Sciences from the University of Lugano, he embarked on a long political career that has seen him represent Ticino at both cantonal and federal level. He has been a member of the State Council since 2011, where he is committed to the security, cohesion, and sustainable development of the canton. At the national level, he is a member of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (CCJPD), where he chairs the Criminal Law Commission. He is also a member of several committees and foundations, including the Nizzola Foundation and the Alpine Foundation for Life Sciences. A colonel in the Swiss army, Gobbi has deep ties to his Alpine region and is actively involved in numerous initiatives aimed at promoting the Ticino area.