Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography
© Marcelo Villada

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior PhotographyRenovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior PhotographyRenovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior PhotographyRenovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography, Windows, BeamRenovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - More Images+ 32

  • Client: Città di Lugano – DSU – Spazi Pubblici
  • Collaborators: Alessandro Armellini, Roberta Blasi, Marco Mariotti
  • Asbestos Inventory: Econs SA
  • Furniture: MG Cucine SA
  • Carpenter: Fratelli Colombo Sagl
  • Blacksmith: Bernasconi Renato SA
  • Painter: Cap Color Sagl
  • Stone Supplier:  Laboratorio Scalpellini, Città di Lugano
  • General Contractor : Galli Costruzioni SA
  • Flooring: Manutecnica Sagl
  • City: Lugano
  • Country: Switzerland
More SpecsLess Specs
Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography
© Marcelo Villada

Text description provided by the architects. The Grotto della Roccia is a small historic building, which has been out of use for almost a century, set in the rock at the beginning of the Gandria path and overlooking Lake Lugano.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Image 32 of 37
Site plan

The building has three levels: a basement with a barrel-vaulted cellar excavated in the rock above which there is a small terrace, a ground floor with one side made of rock whose internal dimensions are 3.4 x 3.6 m, and an upper floor of the same dimensions that was only accessible from the outside.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Image 36 of 37
Section

Even though the building was in poor condition and in a total state of disrepair, it was decided to conserve it by maintaining as much of its original appearance as possible but enlarging the external terrace and the internal part by connecting the two floors with a new staircase.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography, Windows, Beam
© Marcelo Villada
Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography
© Marcelo Villada
Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography, Brick
© Marcelo Villada

On the inside, structural consolidation work was carried out: in the basement, new walls were built and a new reinforced concrete slab (10 cm thick) was cast inside the original masonry; on the upper floors, the existing slab was replaced with a new one in reinforced concrete and metal beams, the surface of which was sown with porphyry aggregates from Cuasso al Monte and limestone from Moltrasio (Sasso di Caprino) and then smoothed.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography, Stairs
© Marcelo Villada

The back wall of the original building was removed to gain space for the construction of the exposed concrete staircase, thus adding more rock surface to the interior of the building. Two new reinforced concrete walls and a new reinforced concrete slab were then built, which in addition to covering the new connection further consolidated the original building by connecting it entirely to the rock behind.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography, Brick
© Simone Bossi
Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography
© Simone Bossi

In the basement, a bathroom was introduced which is separated from the corridor by a 3.5 cm thick curved concrete wall, on the upper floor the door connecting to the outside was changed into a window facing south and the existing roof was replaced.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Interior Photography, Stairs
© Marcelo Villada

Everything else was left in its existing state or restored.

Externally, the façade of the building, which was also damaged, was restored, bringing back the original pictorial decorations and a new terrace was added to the existing one. The surface of both terraces was paved with re-used stones (Porfido di Cuasso al Monte, Sasso di Caprino, granite slabs, and strips of white marble obtained from the re-use of ancient slabs with the names of the streets of the city of Lugano).

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography
© Simone Bossi
Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography, Brick
© Marcelo Villada

The original parapets have been maintained and modified to comply with the law; the new ones, also internally, are in rough oxidized iron.

Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto - Exterior Photography, Waterfront
© Marcelo Villada

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Sentiero di Gandria, Sentiero di Gandria, 6978 Lugano, Switzerland

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Renovation Grotto della Roccia / enrico sassi architetto" 02 Dec 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/972840/renovation-grotto-della-roccia-enrico-sassi-architetto> ISSN 0719-8884

© Marcelo Villada

罗西亚石窟改造 / enrico sassi architetto

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.