cino zucchi architetti: galleria vedeggio cassarate, switzerland

‘galleria vedeggio-cassarate’ by cino zucchi architetti, lugano, switzerlandimage © cino zucchiall images courtesy of cino zucchi architetti

tunnels are historically environmental intrusions, albeit efficient transportation time-savers through otherwise pristine landscapes. italian practice cino zucchi architetti came up with an idea to functionally beautify the tunnel and entrance point to lugano that connects to the milan-zurich highway, at the same time serving as a sculptural screen for the machinery and construction work currently being erected in a larger scale urban revitalization project. the 25-meter long serpentine structure grows subtly out of the ground, flourishing into a curving fluid timber ribbon in plan and elevation.

the greater perceived form is in reality made up of parametrically-designed spruce posts ranging in length, reaching the highest point at ten meters. the connection of the individual sections into the ground are concealed by a bed of white rocks to lend to a purer idea of the concept, rather than cluttering the visual impact with subsidiary details. the optical effect of the sculpture offers a dynamic range of views that vary according to the observer’s position in comparison to the the wall. a playful rhythm of solids blending into voids and vice versa are created on the surface by the many concave and convex faces, further animated by the speed at which the viewer passes by.  

sculpted materials define an aestheticimage © cino zucchi

structure transitions out of the groundimage © cino zucchi

individual wooden posts anchored into hidden connections in the groundimage © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

the roadway to the tunnel leading into lugano and the highway to milanimage © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

playful shadows change with the time of day and seasonimage © cino zucchi

gradient transparencies as a result of the viewer’s angle to the sculptureimage © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

construction and vehicles hidden behind the 10-meter tall screenimage © cino zucchi

bird’s eye viewimage © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

image © cino zucchi

site plan

floor plan

3D model