Courtyard Community House
- Viganello, Lugano
- On a steep slope in Lugano, a multi-generational community house blends with the natural landscape. The maisonette apartments, varying in size and shape, follow the topography, create a visual connection among residents through broad courtyard windows. Trees, plants, and natural stone walls blur between interior outdoor, promoting communality.
- Courtyard entrances promote spontaneous interactions, while semi-private rooftop terraces strengthen visual connections. The dynamic timber skeleton structure, anchored on concrete ground floors, reduces concrete usage and reveals the warmth of wooden beams. Meandering paths and flexible corners create layers of privacy within communal spaces.
- The old donkey house, now a greenhouse, complements outdoor planting beds, and a ground-floor café serves as a neighborhood hub. This project fosters community by engaging elderly residents in gardening and childcare, counteracting societal isolation and spreading the communal experience across the entire site.
People: Bath, Cook, Eat, Gather, Read, Rest, See, Sit, Sleep, Talk, Play
typology: Terrace, Apartment, Collective Housing, Furniture, House, Landscape, Open Space
Climate: Heat, Others
Contributor: Vinzenz Leuppi
