The building stands like a “dynamic monolith”, a major presence within the new design of a city district where the regulatory plan has called for the adoption of brick and stone for all façades. As an architect who has played a major role in both the planning and executive phases of this project, Guya Camponovo, explained, “The choice fell on the clear porous colour of travertine, which appropriately enhances the essential quality of the architectural lines. Another powerful sign of the project is the alternation of vertical and oblique cuts that border the windows and confer a sense of dynamism and movement that counterbalances the immobility of the volume and material.” The glass surfaces in fact cut through the façades uninterruptedly from top to bottom, emphasizing the building’s verticality. The entrance portico is carved out of a volume that starts with a rotating movement from the corner of the building and unmistakably indicates the main entrance. The reinforced concrete staircase also participates in the game of these transversal cuts, illuminated in this case by an opening of sandblasted glass. The hotel ranks as a full-fledged quality business hotel thanks to its location in the heart of the city, the arrangement of its interior spaces, and its technological services. “The interiors,” continued Guya Camponovo, “correspond to criteria of maximum practicality and the need to create 48 rooms that would be sufficiently spacious and bright despite the relatively small surface.” Thus clearly the interior design of the rooms was crucial, implementing unique solutions that successfully adapted to the limited space. For example, the choice to use the glass wall of the shower to separate the bathroom from the sleeping area gives a sense of openness, transparency, and luminosity, in addition to providing a non-conventional, contemporary feel to the room. Appropriately, the shower can also be hidden from view for privacy. It could be said that the interiors were planned as if they were for a pleasure boat, where each detail has its own logic and cleverly takes advantage of all available space.The soundproofing of the rooms was given special attention, especially with regards to construction details and the choice of the most effective materials. The rooms are equipped with technological systems, and each floor has its own business area. The reception hall on the ground floor was conceived with soft forms that create an interesting contrast with the sharp cuts of the openings, while its bright colours and designer furniture set a “modern” mood.
Guya Camponovo
2015
Lugano
Projects, Public Buildings