Summer School 2020 - Valle di Blenio - Reader

Summer School Ticino Reader

Istituto Internazionale di Architettura i2a, Lugano Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts Chinese Culture University CCU, Taipei City La Fabbrica del Cioccolato Foundation, Torre

30.8. - 6.9.2020 i2a Summer School

Table of contents 1 Preface

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2

Background information

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3

Project brief

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4 Research

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5 Annex

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Welcome Introduction The Summer School Ticino is a week-long workshop which is taking place for the 5th time. It will open you up an incredibly different and exciting approach to architecture during your summer holidays. The goal is to reactivate the old center of Dangio by working in an international exchange. This year‘s tutors are Ludovica Molo, Mulan Sun Buschor and Daniel Fuchs. We would like to warmly welcome you and thank you for being part of this!

Contacts Daniel Fuchs +41 76 535 61 95 Accommodation Bus Stop: Dangio, Paese Ostello Adula al Riale Strada Vecchia 6717 Dangio-Torre La Fabbrica del Cioccolato Bus Stop: Dangio, Paese Stabili Cima Norma Strada Vecchia 100 6717 Torre +41 91 972 27 14 www.lafabbricadelcioccolato.ch

Map: Canton of Ticino Dark gray: Blenio Valley

i2a istituto internazionale di architettura Villa Saroli Viale S. Franscini 9 6900 Lugano +41 91 996 13 87 www.i2a.ch Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur Technikumstrasse 21 6048 Horw +41 41 349 33 11 www.hslu.ch Emergency Police 117 Fire department 118 Ambulance 144

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Participants Students Lukas Alessandri

Isabelle Graf

Architecture

Architecture

Ivan Ashkinadze

Larissa Aline Kaltenbach

Architecture

Architecture

Valentina Astudillo Nazal

Leandro Spillmann

Architecture

Architecture

Vanessa Beer

Anastasija Trajkovic

Architecture

Architecture

Nicole Birrer

Oleksandr Yanenko

Architecture

Architecture

Johanna Bucher

Elisa Zappa

Architecture

Architecture

Maria Culcay Canos

Florencia Zwicky

Architecture

Architecture

Juliana Furrer Architecture

Teachers and Experts Franco Bezzola Lecturer and Project Manager at HSLU Institute of Sociocultural Development

Claudia Boschetti Straub Mayor of Blenio Municipality (Dangio is part of Blenio)

Sandra Buehler Graphic Design / Video, Research Assistant at HSLU Institute of Architecture

Dante Caprara Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Bellinzonese e Valli

Wei-Bin Chen Professor, Chinese Culture University, Taipei - Urban Planning Department

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Luca Crosta Communications Manager at i2a Lugano

Daniel Fuchs Architect ETH, Partner at Bach-Muehle-Fuchs Architects

Cristina Gardenghi Co-coordinator Le giovani Verdi, Gran Consigliere Canton Ticino

Beba Grob Responsabile InfoPoint Valle di Blenio, Tourist Information

Philippe Grossenbacher Architect ETH / SIA, Partner at Bach-Muehle-Fuchs Architects

Chun-Lin Lee Professor, Chinese Culture University, Taipei - Landscape Architecture Department

Xiaohua Lei Director and operations manager of Project Ruralation

Odis Barbara De Leoni Mayor of Acquarossa Municipality

Elena Lurati Architect ETH, Collaborator at Bach-Muehle-Fuchs Architects

Ludovica Molo Architect ETH FAS, Head of i2a, Head of FAS, Lecturer at HSLU, and Partner at Studio We Architetti, Lugano

Lara Monti Architect, MA. Architecture Udk Berlin

Mulan Sun Buschor Architect ETH/SIA, Partner at SML Architektur, Head of SCAA, Project Manager of "The Culture of Water" at HSLU

Caterina Viguera Architect ETSAB, Partner at rotative studio

Felix Wettstein Architect ETH FAS, President Commissione del paesaggio Canton Ticino, lecturer at HSLU and Partner at Studio We Architetti, Lugano

Alex Willener Lecturer and Project Manager at HSLU Institute of Sociocultural Development

Lei Zhang Vice-Dean and Professor, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Principal of Atelier Zhang Lei Architects (AZL Architects), Head of Sustainable Rural Architecture Research Center, China

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Program Information gathering Lectures are spread over the week and will give you insights into different topics. In addition to the lectures, you are expected to research further information individually and in groups.

Meetings There will be different kinds of meetings on a day to day basis. In the mornings there will be a "Check-in" and in the afternoons we will look at the status of work in form of a "Pin-up" or a "Midterm review". And in the end, we will have a "Final review" in front of a panel of experts.

Summer School Ticino 2020 Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

30.8.

31.8.

1.9.

2.9.

3.9.

4.9.

Morning

Meet at 8:45 Introduction 9:00

Lecture 9:00

Lecture 9:00

Check-in 8:30

Check-in 8:3

> Mulan

> Franco Bezzola

> Zhang Lei

Work

Work

> Elena

> Alex Willener

> Lei Xiaohua

> Daniel

Zoom lecture

Zoom lecture

- Place and geography

1.5h total

1.5h total

Work

Work

Work

Work

Pin-up 17:00

Pin-up 17:00

Midterm review 17:00

Pin-up 17:00

Welcome with guests

> Present in 5 groups

> Present in 5 groups

Caterina Viguera

> Present in 5

Exhibition Cima Norma 18:00

> Concept

> Concept

Alex Willener on Zoom

> Concept

- People and skills - Make 5 groups

Afternoon Arrival 14:00

Work

- Welcome - Organisation/Accommodation

> Group A: House visit > Group B: House visit

Apero 17:00

Feedback 17:00

> Design

> Design

with Ludovica

> Design

Cristina Gardenghi

Lecture 20:00

Work

Work

Lecture 20:00

Work

with Ludovica

> Mulan und Daniel

(i2a exhibition opening Lugano)

(Theatre in Cima Norma)

with Ludovica

Giovanni Casella

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> Caterina Viguera

Preface 1

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

3.9.

4.9.

5.9.

6.9.

7.9.

Check-in 8:30

Check-in 8:30

Check-in 8:30

Work

Departure 9:00

Work

Work

Work - Important: Drawing the design - Important: Preparing the presentation Test run 11:00

Work

Work

Work

Final review 15:00

Franco Bezzola Felix Wettstein Cristina Gardenghi Midterm review 17:00

Pin-up 17:00

Giovanni Casella

Caterina Viguera

> Present in 5 groups

with Ludovica

Alex Willener on Zoom

> Concept

with Ludovica

> Design

Lecture 20:00

Work

> Caterina Viguera

Dinner 20:00 Ristorante Luzzone

Possible departure

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2 Background information

Context Valle di Blenio The Summer School Ticino 2020 is taking place in the Valle di Blenio - the Blenio Valley - the valley of the sun - a place that has great architectural fabric and naturalistic charm, but that in recent times has had difficulties related to depopulation, a common problem many mountain regions are struggling with. More and more people prefer to move to the urban areas and so, one by one, the stores, workshops and offices are forced to close their doors.

The Valle di Blenio has an old history of alp transit. The valley with its roads over the Passo del Sole, Greina and Diesrut Pass, is among the Alpine routes that have been used for centuries.

This part of history can still be experienced, because there is many archaeological sites and many monuments from different times. Already in Roman times the valley served as an important transit axis through the alps.

Prosperity, poverty and migration are all issues related to the history of alp transit. Migration is a important part of history of the Valle di Blenio. People like Carlo Gatti or like Ernesto and Alfonso Cima were born in the Valle di BĂślenio, emigrated because of poverty and came back to the valley as rich people.

Nowadays the valley is located in between two major North-South connection through the alps, the Gotthard connection to the west and the San Bernardino connection to the east. For the Valle di Blenio, crossing the alps is not so important anymore as the train line and the car highway follow the other valleys. Without large transport infrastructure and powerful industrial companies, the Valle di Blenio today feels almost idyllic. But still the Lukmanier Pass leads from the Valle di Blenio to Disentis/Sedrun in Graubueßnden’s Vorderrhein Valley (Lower Rhine Valley).

The pass is open all year, winter and summer.

Source and more links: myswitzerland.com/en-ch/blenio-valley-valle-di-blenio.html bellinzonese-altoticino.ch/en/discover/territory/valle-di-blenio.html vallediblenio.ch en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blenio en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blenio_District de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_di_Blenio

Dangio The village of Dangio, which stands on a millenary alluvial sediment formed by the material of the Soya Valley, experienced several floods over the centuries, and in the night between 28 and 29 August 1908 the bridge, as well as the power plant and the buildings of the chocolate factory were damaged. Behind the village there is the historic hill of Ingerio, on the right the hill of Grumascio. In Ingerio, during several decades of the 20th century, the stonemasons extracted material from the rocks found in the region. Located on the border between Torre and Dangio is the famous chocolate factory Cima Norma. The San Salvatore brewery and the power station, which were also decisive for the economy, are worth mentioning. The location of these important infrastructures made Dangio more dependent on the municipality of Torre than on the municipality of Aquila, to which it belonged. However, it was Torre that benefited from Cima Norma from both a political and an economic point of view, thanks to the tax revenue that the municipality received and the residence of the owners of the factory. In Dangio you can also admire ancient buildings, including the stately building "Villa Assunta" and some frescoes.

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Chocolate Factory "Cima Norma" Some descendants of a lineage of Blenian chocolatiers, Ernesto Cima di Dangio and his brothers, built in 1903 the "Fabrique de Chocolat Cima", the first industry in the area, which gave work (at times of greatest production) to over 300 people almost all Blenian, but also from Sottoceneri and Italy (who stayed in houses or in the infrastructure provided by the management). One year after the 1908 flood, the brothers rebuilt the power station, rebuilt the damaged bridge and restarted the chocolate factory, the "Cima Freres", enlarged thanks to the purchase of the buildings of the "San Salvatore" brewery. Giuseppe Pagani di Torre, who returned in 1904, was one of the promoters of the Biasca-Acquarossa railway and in 1913 acquired the Cima factory and a year later withdrew the machinery of the Norma factory in Zurich, from where the name of the Cima Norma chocolate factory was born. On the night of 4 and 5 November 1915 a fire destroyed the building, which in the years 1919-1920, Pagani rebuilt and expanded. In 1939 Pagani died and was succeeded by Francesco Antognini and Luigi Ferrazzini. Thanks to the contracts stipulated with the large consumer cooperatives -but also to the small shops-, to the progressively introduced avant-garde machinery, to the local labour force and to the railway in the valley, the Cima Norma factory knew from the beginning a strong and fast development also imposing itself on the national market. This development continued even after the Second World War, which reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, when 330 workers were employed in 1962, the majority of whom were women. A fierce competition, the consequent termination of many contracts with large cooperatives and various episodes, forced Cima Norma to close definitively in 1968. Today it is open to the public for visits on request, and provides its premises for the village festivals and for the needs of local craftsmen and companies; it also houses some lofts. The recent acquisition of the infrastructure and the initiatives promoted within it suggest that Cima Norma is destined to give back to the Valley what it was able to offer in the past from an economic and social point of view.

Source: comuneblenio.ch Translation: deepl.com

Old postcard from Dangio:

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Social innovation Text on these two pages is written by CIPRA – Living in the alps Promoting sustainable development with creative ideas The challenging situations that exist today in the Alps such as a population exodus, climate change mitigation, mobility, and the consumption of resources cannot be solved through technological progress alone; instead, they require social change too. In its core theme of ‘Social Innovation’, CIPRA is tackling these challenges from a societal point of view and the potential that lies within society. Personal initiatives, new collaborations, and a backpack full of ideas are needed in order to bring about change in social as well as economic practices. Taking center stage is the vision of a strong society capable of carrying sustainable development in the Alps by pooling their resources.

Social innovations comprise new approaches, combinations and forms of social interaction in order to promote sustainable development, good governance and quality of life in the Alps. At the same time, social innovation is also a process for coming up with new ideas and enabling people to have a say in the fundamental choices made by society. One precondition is that any such choice must benefit society. The aim of CIPRA International is to use communication, political work and projects to promote social innovations and improve the outline conditions for their emergence and consolidation. It addresses social issues such as pluralism, the participation of young people, sustainable lifestyles and self-determination in various projects and activities.

Source: cipra.org/en/topics/social-innovation

What challenges, perspectives and potentials do peripheral areas have?

Here prospering cities, there emptying mountain villages. Reality is seldom as clear as the picture may seem. It is true that peripheral regions often record smaller growth figures than those with a central function - or even negative ones. But growth is not a parameter for quality of life.

Many people rediscover the qualities of life in rural areas. Unused buildings, cheaper land prices, proximity to nature and the smaller social fabric offer space for new ideas and lifestyles. The "rural renaissance" is a small contribution to bringing new life to half-empty mountain villages.

With openness and willingness to take risks, newcomers and residents create their living space together. After all, it is always people, their skills and competences who are decisive for sustainable village and regional development - taking certain aspects into account.

Using the existing - creating the new In order to counteract the aging of the rural population, a variety of jobs and work models are needed that meet the needs and training of young people today, as well as an infrastructure that meets their daily needs. The French organization Adrets, for example, is developing innovative models for the provision of basic services in peripheral areas with the "Maisons de services au public", which combine various commercial and non-commercial services under one roof.

Another success factor is to take existing natural resources into account without overusing them and to add value to them. In order to maintain value creation in the region, different people need to work together across sectoral, organizational and administrative boundaries. If, for example, 10

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tourism and farmers' associations work together, farmers will not only be able to sell their products in the region, but they will also become ambassadors for the region.

Sharing responsibility Whether an initiative bears fruit often depends in the initial phase on individual committed people with a high willingness to take risks. In the longer term, however, a project can only be successful if it rests on many shoulders, is institutionalized and professionally managed.

Encouragement and support can come from inside as well as from outside - just as financial support from inside as well as from outside is needed. Well-networked advocates in the city, in the lowlands and in national politics contribute to the foundation of sustainable village development in peripheral areas.

Visible successes motivate people to stick to it. Small, quickly realizable projects are also important contributions: For example, a renovated traditional bread oven in Valendas, Switzerland, shows that success is possible - and it brings the population together to bake bread together.

Source: cipra.org/it/dossiers/abitare-e-lavorare Translation: deepl.com

A community on the way to a better quality of life No prospects at first: The municipality of Alpwil has experienced a steady decline in recent decades. Many inhabitants have moved away, houses are empty, the gardens have become wild, the village shop has been abandoned and the village center has become deserted. A promotion as a residential location or tourist destination does not help. Sustainable village development is needed for quality of life in all areas. Living, working and leisure should be able to take place in the village.]

Then the change: Everything under one roof Paulina tells: "People who need temporary support in everyday life live in the attic. I look after the flat-sharing community as a social pedagogue. There is a crèche on the ground floor. Sometimes we bake together or play mill. Right next door is the health center. A doctor comes by three times a week. In between is the municipal administration, and there are freely available workplaces that can be rented on a daily basis, a library and a post office."

Developing together "We developed all this together at a round table with the support of a civic association and external moderators."

New use of the existing "And here's my second job. The old manor house from the 16th century was bought by the association and transformed into a museum. We show the history of the village, the region and give information about the nature in the valley. I can't believe how many guests from near and far are interested! It's great that I can meet so many different people at my place of residence."

New life "It's a bit like when my grandmother used to sell vegetables in the village square. We buy the vegetables now in the organic shop, but we meet here again, exchange news and heck out one or the other idea. (...)Âť Source: Presentazione interattiva: cipra.org/de/dossiers/wohnen-und-arbeiten/portal_factory/ Link/de/alpmonitor/presentation3/amo-it.html Translation: deepl.com

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Neighborhood Text on this page is written by Neustart Schweiz – Coming Home Neighborhood Thanks to the microcentre, an everyday household for about 500 people, connected to the land base to establish a large subsistence and food sovereignty.

"Neighborhood" is a clearly defined term in contrast to the usual, casual use. Neighborhood and proximity are ambivalent qualities: on the one hand they attract us, on the other hand they can trigger repulsion and disgust; skillful design with appropriate rules is therefore crucial; communal uses also need high quality (design, materials, buildings), a certain celebration. The size of the neighborhood is important for achieving degrees of freedom, e.g. in spatial distribution, work organization, economies and ecologies of scale.

The areas of living, working, supply and leisure are moving closer together in the neighborhood.

This makes a significant contribution to achieving ecologically compatible consumption of resources. All important services are within walking distance, which means that the neighborhood is integrated in circles for extended services, such as the valley and the city.

Ready for the Grand Hotel?

There are many possible ways to create socially and ecologically integrated neighborhoods. You can repopulate old town quarters, equip block rows in the agglomeration with micro-centers, rebuild barracks or hospitals, rebuild brown fields. But anyone who has ever visited a Grand Hotel or one of the all-inclusive resorts around the Mediterranean will notice that its infrastructure is similar to that of a neighborhood: everything is there, everything is close by, private space is scarce, but the shared rooms are generous.

Source: neustartschweiz.ch/Nach-Hause_kommen_Online-Version.pdf Translation: deepl.com

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Results of 2018 Summer School 2018: Make The Valley Great Again!

The 2018 and 2019 Summer Schools form the basis for 2020. In 2018, the focus was on the very large scale of "Valle di Blenio". The students were asked study a new living concept for the Valle di Blenio. They suggested to give a closer look to the former chocolate factory building and its relation to five selected villas from the larger neighborhood. Those given buildings have a historical connection to each other. Therefore it was important to not only analyze the present resources and competencies but also the history. All the given individual pieces eventually formed the basis for a future scenario.

Team 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 The students have been working in five different teams. Each team was a inter cultural (Swiss and Taiwanese) and interdisciplinary (Architect, Landscape Architect, Urban Planer) composition. Each team was developing it's own scenario based on a proper analysis on what they were interested in.

Analysis Each team was asked to analyze the valley based on a series of criteria. There was no need to quickly find to a proposal. A good analysis needs time and it was important to get to know the valley before coming up with new ideas.

Different readings (technical, infrastructural, sensory, atmospheric, economic, and ecological) of the conditions and potentials of the valley would produce different scenarios in the end. At some point in the process one had to decide on the zoom factor. Both were possible, to look at the valley as a whole or to zoom-in on just one part of the territory.

First of all we all were interested in the bigger scale and bigger picture of Blenio Valley. The research therefore was as broad as possible. A positive and sustainable development could only happen, when there was a greater idea to the context.

Scenario Based on the analysis, each team was creating a scenario based on viable argumentation for what the scenario will achieve for the Blenio Valley. Within the Summer School we were not bound solely to realistic proposals but the goal was to create a wide palette of well thought through, useful, innovative and interesting ideas that lead to a scenario weaving together societal, ecological and economical needs.

At the end of ten days of Summer School they all presented their line of thoughts with a final proposal. The results show a large variety of different scenarios: - Team 1: TERRITORY: GROWING LOCAL FOOD - Team 2: VILLAS: PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC SPACE - Team 3: HOUSING: IN DANGIO-TORRE - Team 4: THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY BUILDING - Team 5: COLLABORATION: ARTISTS AND CRAFTSMEN The results of Team 3 and 5 are shortly presented on the following pages.

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Team 3 Housing: In Dangio-Torre Summary Team 3 looks at the neighborhood in walking distance and makes a proposal for bringing life back to Dangio and Torre. By analyzing age and use of the existing buildings the team understands where there could be improvements on an architectural and urbanistic level. Both an activation of vacant houses through architects and an intergenerational living model are ideas for trading free rent with other values.

Keywords

1970

- Master plan for a New living concept - Uninhabited houses and villas, how to bring to live?

- Insert different type of people for different type of housing - Housing typology, types of buildings - Different groups of population, integration - Old people, integration of old people - Cooperative housing - Hostels - Students , Refugees - Area of intervention is in-between the roads

Dangio

Analysis / Mapping

Dangio Torre

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Scenario / Proposal

CASE STUDY

3

- Tatsuno cho

Dangio

ouse signed a contract with the architect to provide a five-year rent-free rentThe owner of the vacant house signed a contract wi for the architect to use. architecthouses was responsible for the renovation of Caseand study - Tatsuno of vacant ble for the renovation of the house provided the firstcho: floor Activation of the houseThe as a public use for the community. y.

The owner of the vacant house signed a contract with thesecond architect to provide a fivearchitect year rent-to use as an off The floor is for the architect to use as an office. free rent for the architect to use. The architect was responsible for the renovation of the house After five years, the rent can be determined based o n be determined based on theand current situation.

Thisofcan provided the first floor themaintain house as athe public use for the community. The second floor is ofrent vacant and provide space ide space for public events in for thethe local community. architect to use as an office. After five quality years, the can homes be determined based on the for public even current situation. This can maintain the quality of vacant homes and provide space for public events in the local community.

Case study - "Netherlands" sharing symbiosis: Intergenerational housing: with grandfather, grandmother as roommate The dean proposed an exchange program that allows students to spend 30 hours each month to accompany the elderly in the hospital in exchange for free accommodation. This model injects new vitality into the life of the elderly. At the same time, it can also solve the economic problems of young friends, and gain valuable life experience from the communication with the elderly, forming a kind of an interactive model without generation gaps.

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Team 5 Collaboration: Artists and Craftsmen Summary Team 5 shows an idea of how work by artists in residence at the factory would bring added value to the valley. Artists combined with local craftsmen bring a huge potential of unique work with high quality. A local network combined with a network to the greater region, like back in the days, could make the valley great again. The municipality or the tourism office could initiate projects in collaboration with the factory.

Keywords - Construction companies - Traditional craft shops - Artists - Local specialties, food

Analysis / Mapping

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Scenario / Proposal Creating a system that can be adapted to every given situation.

Idea: Happy village

Idea: Sleepy river

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Results of 2019 Summer School 2019: Re-Innovation for Re-Population In 2019, the focus was on one single building and its context. The students were asked to make a suggestion for a new living concept for an abandoned house in the center of Dangio. The future scenario should act on many levels and include many facettes. The project didn't only focus on the building, but also support an overall idea for all of the three: House - Village - Valley.

We searched for meaningful relationships between House and Village, between Village and Valley and between House and Valley.

One large team The students worked as one large team on a coherent project for the one building which is called Ca'Bartolin. Within the big team there were different smaller teams each working on different aspects of the project. A constant exchange between the teams was very important.

Program The program and spaces have been developed by the students and got optimized and redrawn after the summer school by one of the participating students.

Level 0 barn = large multipurpose space, bar and lounge, video screening, kitchen close to the barn, in the center of the house, one main entrance from the back into the barn one main entrance from the square to the kitchen and the upper levels restrooms in one of the corners storage of groceries and wine in the vaulted brick cellar Level 1 Bed & Breakfast with 5 rooms and 2 mall bathrooms or as an alternative, Bed & Breakfast with 4 rooms and 2 large bathrooms small existing terrace in the corner invention of a new consecutive stairs in the center of the building leading to the next level Level 2 + Attic 2 apartments with maisonette (including roof), the residents of the apartments operate the B&B on Level 1 and the barn with the kitchen on Level 0 around 1'500 swiss francs per month per apartment the large terrace is shared by the two appartments or devided into two the apartment to the south with 2 to 3 rooms, the appartment to the north with 3 to 4 rooms

Final project The final presentation showed on 110 slides a coherent project for a new living concept of the house Ca'Bartolin. The future scenario is including many facettes. The presentation was showing aspects like 1. Vision, 2. Exterior Dangio, 3. Building History, 4. Use of the Building, 5.

Stakeholders Diagram, 6. Exterior Project 1:100, 7. Project Plans 1:100, 8. Diagrams, 9. Images, 10. Re-Use Potential, 11. Project Timeline. Parts of it is presented on the following pages.

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VECTORWORKS EDUCATIONAL VERSION

Main Floor Space 111 m2 Usable Area Outside 108.5 m2

12 m 2

Main Floor Space 123.5 m2 Usable Area Outside 20.5 m2

S-01

Ingresso 0.20m

0.00m

)

Car Parking 13.5 m2 Garage/Buvette 14 m2

1.30m

Spazio Multifunzionale 55 m2

0.30m

0.15m

Terace 14.5 m2

Food Storage 17 m 2

Laundry 21.5 m2

Kitchen 14 m 2

Kitchen 16.5 m2

Magazzino 17 m2

-0.80m

Garage 1

23 m2

2

Toilet 3.5 m2

3 4

Spazio Distributivo/Cucina 31 m2

0.55m

Shower 2 m2

2

3

4

5

6

1

Ingresso 0.75m

0.15m

Kitchen 22 m 2

Living 14 m 2

Negozio

Storage 14.5 m2

0.75m

5 m2

Corridor 6 m2

1

-0.55m

7

0.35m

2

e Room

Storage 6.5 m2 8

S-02

S-02

Corridor 6.5 m2

9

Main Entrance

12

m2

Bathroom 5.5 m2

28 m2

-0.05m Bagno 14 m2 Negozio 19 m2

Living 17.5 m2

0

1

2

3

4

5m

Level 0 1:100

VECTORWORKS EDUCATIONAL VERSION

Balcony 6 m2

Level 1 1:100

1:100 1. PIANO PRIMO 0

1

2

3

4

S-01

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3 Project brief

Task Overview This year's Summer School is taking place in Dangio for the third time in a row. The 2018 and 2019 Summer Schools form the basis for 2020.

Team 3 has recognized that the village center of Dangio is partially abandoned. Lack of work and prospects have led to depopulation. The changed standards of living and the use of the car are further reasons for this. The dream of living in a singular family house surrounded by a private garden and a garage for the car, brought people out of the center of the village. However, the existing buildings in the center are culturally valuable and offer a lot of development potential.

The association "Neustart Schweiz" proposes to live in neighborhoods because quality of life combines with sustainability. This is why we would like to give one of the houses a new lease of life. The Summer School functions like a mini-semester. In week-long Workshop we will be planning a small but comprehensive project for one particular house. With the idea of Team 5, the project could be realized with local craftsmen after the Summer School.

The idea One particular house, which we will study more closely, should be exemplary for the development in the Valle di Blenio. We are interested in the large scale and would like to develop the project as an example for the whole valley. With innovative and creative ideas we would like to imagine a transformation of one house. As a single project, the house will ultimately serve as a model and lighthouse for the region. Ideally we can make a contribution to a sustainable development of the village and the valley and work against the depopulation. Sustainability should weave together societal, ecological and economical needs. The title is our goal: Re-Activate The Neighborhood!

The house On the next pages you see images of the house that you will be proposing an intervention for.

Orthophoto 1934

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Drone perspective of Dangio 2018

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Design Future scenario The task is about making a suggestion for a new living concept for one house in the center of Dangio. The future scenario should act on many levels and include many facettes. We are interested in the bigger scale and the bigger picture of Valle di Blenio. The project therefore should not only focus on the building, but also support an overall idea for all of the three: House - Village - Valley. We will search for meaningful relationships between House and Village, between Village and Valley and between House and Valley. We think a all inclusive sustainable development can only happen, when there is a greater idea to the context. Please think about the following questions and remarks: - What makes your scenario specific to the location, what is the strong identity, what are the characteristics given by the site and created by the scenario?

- Low pre-investment and low start-up costs are most realistic. Be aware of budget / costs - Longterm development (there is no economic pressure for short-term development), make phasing possible, step by step development.

- How could your scenario change over time (day to night, seasons, years)?

- What is the potential of public transport, is there possible alternative concepts for motorized private transport, how could the private car be integrated in your scenario? ¨ - Is the project self-sufficient or is there additional infrastructure needed to make the scenario work well?

- For whom are you designing/not designing? (We don't want to think of housing for commuters and don't want to go in to the direction of leisure and tourism) - Is your scenario integrating the idea of social exchange, mixed use, alternative way of uses?

How do you combine public and private?

- Can your scenario stay within the borders of the existing building regulation, is it possible to densify on the plot?

Design in collaboration There are many different aspects to design. The large group of students will divide into different small groups for a specialization. The ideas and results of the small groups will later be exchanged and brought together to one design project. It is important that the vision for the whole doesn't get lost on the way. Try to think the small scale intervention in a creative way as a big scale urban development. Social sustainability should be achieved through spacial design and program. Ideally the house generates a value to the public space surrounding the house.

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Design decisions - Analyzing and understanding the history of the building - Demolition (of parts of the building) - Replacement (of parts of the building) - Extension (of parts of the building) - Which elements to preserve, until what year to preserve?

- What are the possible design languages for such a building?

Design to improve - Earthquake stability - Supporting structure - Fire escape regulations - Wheel chair accessibility - Energy, insulation, heating, cooling

Design a program - Mixed use / mixed functions, Complementary functions - Private vs. public (ground floor vs. upper floors) - Participative possibilities, places for meeting and social exchange - No utopian program, on which your entire concept is depending on, no tourism only - Only things that are economically viable, no seasonal dependency

Design in elements - Mainly designing the circulation and integrating the public part of the program - Circulation / stairs / ramps / elevator - Elements for the public, such as the facade / window / balcony / terrace - Potentially leave certain elements undesigned, such as the roof - Such as the rooms / spaces / built in furniture - Such as the kitchen / fireplace / bathroom - Such as the colors / materials

Design the exterior - Public vs. private, exterior design vs. interior design - Furniture outdoor - Planting - Shading - Pavement - Parking needed / not needed, other elements?

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Information Measuring One of the first tasks and part of the research is to measure the existing house and all it's parts and to draw an exact plan of it. This plan will set the basis to design our intervention on the house.

Printout You will receive a set of printed plans to work with. There is plain paper and sketch paper to work with. In case you would like to print more relevant plans and documents, there will be a printer.

Digital You will get access to a selection of digital plans and documents that will be helpful during your design process. All the information from the previous Summer School 2018 and 2019 will be shared as well. In addition we recommend using the web links written in this document to start off with your own individual research.

References As you are designing the project, please consider historical, contemporary, built and unbuilt projects. References and even more precedents can help to push you forward in your work.

Learn from references such as the ones on the following pages. They may serve as (successful) precedents. More image material can be found Online in the provided folders.

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Requirements for the final review - Presentation of a project that can be told like a story or a vision - A full set of plans (sections, elevations), scale 1:50 on A2 of the existing building - A full set of plans (sections, elevations), scale 1:50 on A2 of the project - A site plan of the surroundings, scale 1:200 - A site plan of the village Dangio, scale 1:500 - An urban section through the whole village, scale 1:200 - Visualizations of the project, montage, collage, render, perspective A3 - Diagrams, sketches, mind maps, text, keywords to explain the scenario conceptually - And other, to be defined

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4 Research

References "The rock is my home�, Werner Blaser 1976 For Werner Blaser, it is a very special concern to know how to preserve the anonymous architecture of the mountains. According to Blaser, it is not just a matter of individual outstanding objects, which can be placed under monument protection, but the entire picture of settlements and assemblies which we have to save, especially against decay, for their own sake because of the harmonious uniform use of the building material as a whole. The old, solid, creative building-thought, created by an inherited form-feeling, is exemplified by the architect of our time, who speaks through his photographs. These natural stone buildings are not adorned with anything foolish, their nature is strict constructive discipline.

Source: socks-studio.com/2017/02/04/matter-structure-and-form-of-life-der-fels-ist-mein-hausby-werner-blaser-1976/

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"La Costruzione del territorio nel Cantone Ticino", Aldo Rossi 1979. Settlements and vernacular architecture within the territory of Ticino. Image below taken in old Dangio.

Source: Book scan

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Recompositions in Sceru and Giumello, Ticino, Martino Pedrozzi 2019. Sceru and Giumello are two mountain pastures located at 2,000 meters above sea level.

The architectural intervention addresses the ruins of farms on these mountainsides, and consists in the rearrangement of the fallen stones within their original perimeter. The reconstruction of the ruins protects the landscape by re-establishing the farms as reference points in the territory, restoring the public space of this place. The interventions physically manifest themselves as a redefinition of the volumes of the ruins, like a reshaping of the surrounding space or work with the landscape, carried out for its users. However, their most significant contribution is immaterial and consists in a tribute to the civilizations that preceded us.

These acts of recomposition address the issue of abandonment, a constant phenomenon in human history as a result of wars, climate change, economic vicissitudes or natural disasters.

In this case, abandonment is due to the disappearance of mountain settlements geared to an Alpine economy. Our project offers a real alternative to numerous attempts in the recent past to redevelop and revitalize these realities. It was carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis, with the participation of friends, students, families, colleagues and other people involved in the project. The owners of the farms affected by these interventions, the landowners and the local population in general leapt at the idealism and effectiveness of a project that addresses a reality in which they are emotionally invested. We have received numerous requests to take part in upcoming interventions.

The project offers a concise, economical response to the specific need to give a new meaning to abandoned pasture land. It also satisfies the need for an appropriate epilogue to the life cycle of the farms and the civilization they represent. Factors such as simplicity, durability, participation, idealism, constancy and beauty guarantee the lasting value of these interventions, helping to strengthen the scenic appeal of the place and, above all, consolidating the presence of positive values in its society.

Source: transfer-arch.com/works/recompositions/

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Before and after

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Case study «- Future, Hasliberg» Community development in a rural and mountain village, social work "The challenging situations that exist today in the Alps …require social change too." "...tackling these challenges from a societal point of view and the potential that lies within society.

Personal initiatives, new collaborations, and a backpack full of ideas are needed in order to bring about change in social as well as economic practices." « "...the vision of a strong society capable of carrying sustainable development in the Alps by pooling their resources."

"Social innovations comprise new approaches, combinations and forms of social interaction in order to promote sustainable development, good governance and quality of life in the Alps."

Source: https://www.hasliberg.ch/wirtschaft/zukunft-hasliberg/

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Case study «- Industriestrasse, Lucerne» New ways of urban planning with dialogue and participation, social work The participatory process Informal part - Analysis of Stakeholders, Group interviews with Stakeholders - Round Table with Stakeholders: working out requirements for the development of Industriestrasse : scenarios for development - Bringing about consent on core issues Formal part - Phase 3: feeding the requirements into the formal process of the «call for bids» for the future promoter building project (non-profit organisation)

1. Decision by the Great City Council of Lucerne on requirements and principles for the

call for bids

2. Call for bids for project promoter with draft project design

3. Application phase for project promoter with draft project design

4. Decision by the Great City Council of Lucerne on building project promoter Source: https://www.kooperation-industriestrasse.ch/

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Case study - Wencun Village, China, by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu Villages in the countryside were long regarded as cultural seeds, a source of intellectuals for the larger cities. A civilised poetic life, the countryside was semi self-governed by local scholars in pre-modern China, and the settlements were generally in good order, governed by tradition.

Amateur Architecture Studio has been completing field research on the vernacular settlements of rural Zhejiang for years. Like many other artists and architects, Wang is concerned about the degradation of the built environment and social condition in rural China, with the village reflecting growing urbanisation and its issues. It is hoped that enhancing villages may attract young people back to the countryside. The most challenging part of the project was ‘to change the perception of the peasants and officials’, says Lu. This top-down approach to village regeneration was an unwelcome intervention by the local people. Only seven families agreed to move into the new houses. For the villagers, the ideal living space should occupy all of the lot, and maximise the courtyard in front of the house. They complained that the courtyard spaces did not meet expectations, and that the homes did not have enough bedrooms. The attraction was that the houses were very cheap for a new-build, less than the construction cost. A proposal to turn the houses into bed-and-breakfast accommodation run by the locals immediately changed the unwelcome situation. But a concern is that the inevitable tourism may drive the local population out. Will this village become nothing but an imagined form of rural life for urbanites?

Source: https://www.architectural-review.com/today/wencun-village-china-by-wang-shu-and-luwenyus-amateur-architecture-studio

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Case study - The Shaxi Rehabilitation Project, China "Market Value" of an ancient trading post on the Tea and Horse caravan trail from Yunnan to Tibet.

We knew from the outset that an isolated restoration project would not be sufficient to preserve the site unless measures were taken for its long-term stewardship. Without a maintenance plan, Shaxi would simply fall into decay again after a relatively short period. Thus, working with the local authorities, our Chinese-Swiss project team drew up a comprehensive preservation and development plan that took into account not only the restoration of the old market square, but also the preservation of the surrounding historical village and the sustainable economic development of the Shaxi Valley as a whole.

In addition to developing feasible concepts for a functional re-use of Shaxi’s historic buildings in order to justify their restoration, we knew that we also had to address a host of social and environmental issues, including the improvement of sanitation systems and the alleviation of poverty through appropriate microcredit schemes. These issues are critical components of the Shaxi Rehabilitation Project, the centerpiece of which remains the restoration of the old market square. In our estimation, Shaxi has the potential to once again become economically selfsustaining. This time, however, revenues would be earned through eco-tourism.

Source: https://www.wmf.org/sites/default/files/article/pdfs/pg_38-45_shaxi.pdf

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Building a future countryside “the motivation for this exhibition is more than just xiangchou, a chinese term that refers to nostalgia for rural lands. We return to the countryside where chinese culture originated to recover forgotten values and overlooked possibilities; from there, we will build a future countryside." - Li Xiangning, Chinese Pavillion Curator at the 16th Venice Biennale Source: https://www.designboom.com/architecture/building-future-countryside-pavilion-chinavenice-architecture-biennale-05-09-2018/

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Ruralism In an urbanizing world, the city is considered the measure of all things. The attention of architects and planners has been almost entirely focused on the city for many years, while rural spaces are often unfairly associated with economic decline, stagnation and resignation.

However, rural spaces are transforming almost as radically as cities, and have begun to play a decisive role in the sustainable development of our living environment. The formerly segregated countryside is now traversed by global and regional flows of people, goods, waste, energy and information, linking it to urban systems and enabling those systems to function in the first place.

International experts explore the rural from architectural, cultural, gender-oriented, ecological and political perspectives, and ask how a new vision of the rural can be formulated.

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Countryside, A Report Exhibition and book by AMO and Rem Koolhaas, 2020 Refugees make repopulation: "Eurodrive: Repopulation Utopia", essay by Niklas Maak

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Switzerland - an Urban Portrait Book by Marcel Meili, Jacques Herzog, Christian Schmid, Pierre De Meuron, Roger Diener, 2005 Dangio is part of the "alpine waste land"

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5 Annex

Notes Things to visit in the Blenio Valley: - Museum: Museo di Valle di Blenio, in Lottigna, Museum about the history of the valley museodiblenio.vallediblenio.ch - Cinema and Theater: Cinema-Teatro Blenio, in Acquarossa, by Giampiero Mina, 1958 cinemablenio.vallediblenio.ch - Cheese dairy factory and shop: Caseificio Toira, via Lucomagno 91, 6718 Olivone caseificiotoira.ch - Centro Pro Natura Lucomagno, on the Lukmanier pass, by Rino Tami, 1956 pronatura-lucomagno.ch - Church: San Carlo di Negrentino, close to Acquarossa, a swing bridge leads you there ticinotopten.ch/en/monuments/church-negrentino - Lake: Lago di Luzzone, reservoir / artifical lake, 1963 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lago_di_Luzzone

Stakeholders in Dangio (incomplete list): Aloisio Bassi Owner of the house "Casa Bassi" from this year's Summer School

Nedo Maestrani Owner of the house "Ca'Bartolin" from the Summer School 2019

Stefan Breit, Lea Loeb, Lukas von Blarer Member of the association Cima Citta that rents the pensionato building in the backyard of the Chocolate Factory /cimacitta.ch

Marino und Marie-Jos (Mijo) Venturini Running the Adula al Riale accommodation and part of the institutionally owned Chocolate Factory buidlings

Giovanni Casella Piazza Living in the Chocolate Factory building and vice president at the Foundation La Fabbrica del Cioccolato

Sussurro Association of inhabitants of Dangio, Sussurro means "Whisper"

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Annex 5

Thank you Partners Many thanks to all the people and institutions that are involved in the Summer School

Summer School 2020, organized by:

Thanks to the support of:

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