An intergenerational center to be built in two stages

Ticino, October 2021

In the next few years, the Bosciorina sector in Biasca will radically change its face: the Municipality validated the jury's decision confirming the choice of the project by the Manlio Campana-Flavio Herrmann-Veru-ska Herrmann Pisoni Architetti (CHP) studio of Ascona to build school buildings. A home for the elderly will also be added at a later stage.

54 architectural firms, evaluated and selected by a jury chaired by architect Ivano Gianola and coordinated by architect Stefano Tibiletti, participated in the project competition organized with a public competition procedure for the construction of school buildings, in one phase. The project by the CHP studio (Campana-Herrmann-Pisoni) of Ascona, called “Sistema”, convinced the experts, which with its interdisciplinary group convinced above all for its urban strength, with a clear definition of the external spaces, volumes well calibrated and respectful of the surrounding space. Initially, we will proceed with the construction of the kindergarten and elementary school (with double gym), the headquarters of the SEPS (Special Early Education Service) and a Bibliomedia, and then a new home for the elderly will be added later. with 72 beds, for which requests for planning proposals at urban and planovolumetric level have already been included in the competition announcement.

Precisely for the different design contents, the client had highlighted the need to have an “intergenerational center” in the future, finding an answer in the project presented by the CHP studio, which tried to “clearly define the reciprocal relationships between the different buildings and the external areas, also in consideration of their specific destination, to better organize the entire site and favor the idea of meeting typical of an intergenerational center ».

Urban and architectural aspects
Observing the winning project, it is clear that a future tree-lined avenue will start from the nucleus of Biasca to lead to the new intergenerational center, whose entrance threshold will be the square between the school porch and the front of the future home for the elderly.

The home for the elderly, the Bibliomedia, the elementary school and the gym will overlook a new public park. The double value of the gym is interesting, as it will have flexible contents and can also be used as a multipurpose room with one hundred seats. This is why the atrium will constitute a privileged meeting space favoring the synergies between the canteen, extra-curricular classrooms (lecture hall) and the gym.

View from inside the SI towards the gymnasium and the SE (left).

The second outdoor area provides play and socialization spaces for elementary school pupils, also for use by the community outside school hours.
The building that houses the nursery school and the SEPS is instead characterized as a volume inserted in the park with its own precise identity, which responds to specific themes and programs. A more intimate garden was conceived for e-
exclusive of these students.

For the future home for the elderly, an autonomous building has been proposed, with a square plan, with a geometry different from the other architectural bodies.

For the construction, the architects of the CHP studio envisaged the use of only two materials (reinforced concrete and wood) and a rational construction in stages, which also includes proposals for a future expansion of the SE and SI, should this be necessary.

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