Apartments San Bernardino - Switzerland

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APPARTAMENTI PRIMARI SAN BERNARDINO, MESOCCO – SWITZERLAND, 2025

COMPETITION

THE LARGE MEADOW WHERE THE PROJECT PLOT IS LOCATED SPEAKS FIRST AND FOREMOST OF TIME.

NEARLY SIX HUNDRED YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE FIRST STONE OF THE ORATORY OF SAN BERNARDINO WAS LAID IN 1450. THESE SIX CENTURIES, WHICH INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROUND CHURCH, THE VILLAGE HOUSES, AND MORE RECENT BUILDINGS, ARE GATHERED IN THIS SPACE: A LARGE MOUNTAIN MEADOW, AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS SENSITIVE.

THE PROJECT PLOT IS ACCESSED FROM THE MOUNTAIN AND OFFERS A VIEW DOWN THE VALLEY, TOWARDS THE VILLAGE, ITS ROOFTOPS, AND THE DOME OF THE ROUND CHURCH. A SMALL PATH, CONSOLIDATED BY THE PROJECT, CONNECTS THE SITE TO THE CORE, PASSING ALONGSIDE THE ORATORY. THANKS TO THE SITE’S OROGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS, THE VIEW OPENS TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH, REVEALING A BROADER TERRITORIAL DIMENSION.

THE PROJECT ARISES FROM THIS CONDITION.

THE NEW BUILDING IS DESIGNED PERPENDICULAR TO THE SLOPE: IT CONNECTS TO THE ACCESS ROAD AND EXTENDS DOWNHILL IN TWO BRANCHES. IT IS A SINUOUS VOLUME, DEFINED AT ITS ENDS BY THREE IDENTICAL BLIND “HEADS,” APPROXIMATELY 7 METERS WIDE AND 11.5 METERS HIGH. ONE FACES UPHILL AND DEFINES THE ENTRANCE, WHILE THE OTHER TWO FACE DOWNHILL TOWARD THE VILLAGE.

THROUGH THESE ELEMENTS, THE BUILDING ENGAGES TO THE BUILT CONTEXT: THEIR VERTICALITY ENGAGES WITH THE ROTUNDA CHURCH AND THE ORATORY OF SAN BERNARDINO, WHILE THE LONGITUDINAL FAÇADES, OPEN TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH, PROVIDE A TYPOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO RESIDENTIAL NEEDS.

THE NEW BUILDING OCCUPIES PRIMARILY THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE PLOT, COMPLETING THE EXISTING BUILT SYSTEM AND CONSOLIDATING THE LARGE EMPTY SPACE THAT, SINCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ORATORY, HAS GRADUALLY TAKEN SHAPE IN THE SLOW FORMATION OF A PLACE.