Accademia di ArchitetturaConstruction project Mendrisio

Set between three freestanding buildings – the Chiesa dei Cappuccini from 1635, the Palazzo Turconi from 1860 and the contemporary Teatro dell’archittetura by Mario Botta – the new extension of the Accademia di architettura is to continue the urban history of this area. With a sensitive volumetric placement, the new structure is to pay tribute to the architectural topics of the place, such as repetitive elements and hierarchies, symmetries and variations.

By conscious recognition of references and reinterpretation of materiality, the past is translated to the present in a contemporary manner. This allows the building to take its place in the historical setting in terms of size and charisma, while at the same time retaining an independence like the emblematic neighbouring campus buildings. Emerging from the base of the Palazzo Turconi, the structure projects its spaces towards the downward sloping terrain with two different faces: composed of a single storey and autonomous towards the north, while otherwise seeking dialogue. The colouration of the surrounding area is reflected by the materiality of the fair-faced concrete facade and the warm lustre of the metal roof.

The necessity of the didactic discourse guided the interior design, generously extending the space for communal work and an open form of teaching with an appropriate degree of spatial flexibility. Consideration of the character of the basic course of study for which this new space is intended, led to fundamental architectural topics – such as the aspect of joining together: the assembly of elements is acted out and illustrated in the roof construction made of solid wood. These spaces are accessed separately through the Palazzo Turconi via a spiral staircase.