New mobility for alternative futures

Every design act starts from the comprehension of its application context.

In collaboration with BAK Economics, we have analyzed the current data trends affecting Lugano and the Tessin region, as well as global trends, to understand which direction the future is taking, and to comprehend from which aspects we should start to define the scenarios.

By involving stakeholders from different sectors such as municipalities, economy experts and mobility infrastructure specialists, we conducted a series of collaborative and explorative activities to collect all the current critical situations on the territory and discuss the world’s best practices in terms of mobility and urban wellbeing.  

We were therefore able to recognize many crucial signals of change: actual small events, innovations and local news with great growth potential, capable of disruption on a bigger scale.

Our visions of Lugano aim at an extended “soft city” defined by a new mobility and new relations between the citizens and the city places: an interconnected ecosystem to make it a lively and attractive center for families, young talents and innovative companies.

We explored three contexts spreading from the city centre to international relations: the historic center of Lugano, the extended City, and the worldwide connections of the region.

Each one of these contexts includes a general description and a selection of specific features.

Lugano Soft City

In our scenario, people are the most precious asset of the city: a soft city is therefore a cozy and easy city which adapts to the changing needs of its citizens, fueling their relations, multiplying opportunities, gaining benefits from the confluence of people and buildings and offering the conditions for a happy living.

The center of Lugano is a lively and vibrant space that mixes with the peripheral areas, without borders. There are offices of international firms, premium shops, a wide offer of clubs and restaurants that are open until late in the evening. Many families prefer quieter neighborhoods and experience the center in their free time, while many others appreciate its vitality.

Lugano Soft City

Main features

• The city center is for pedestrians only, no private cars are allowed.
• Life in the city centre is lively and vibrant.
• The city promotes healthy mobility.
• Public transportation is electric, automated and on-demand.
• The traffic is managed in real time.
• Urban surfaces are transformable.
• Street spaces are a commercial resource.
• Buildings are multifunctional.
• Business hours are freely regulated.
• The city context is full of biodiversity.
• The lake's shores are connected by electric ferries.
• Living in the centre is economically accessible.
• A sense of collective belonging permeates the neighbourhoods.
• Different generations live together in the same community.

The Great Lugano

The city is defined by the systems of relations and interconnections between citizens and places: an extended, poly-centric, inclusive and sustainable city where people can freely move according to their needs.

In 2040 the territory will have changed its appearance, the widespread region will have integrated Ticino City: a polycentric city, but cohesive in its administrative, economic and infrastructure management.

In other words, the main cities in Ticino - Bellinzona, Locarno, Lugano and Mendrisio - will no longer be separate entities, but will all be bustling hubs of the Ticino City.

The Great Lugano

Main features

• The region is systemically run.
• Urbanization develops around the mobility hubs.
• The Park & Ride are more advanced and multifunctional.
• The highways are smart and self-sustainable.
• A single touchpoint manages all the travel necessities.
• Private companies are involved in traffic management.
• The human capital gains new skills.

Lugano and the world

The centrality of a region is not defined by its geographical location only, but also by the ease of its connection with the rest of the world. 

The location of the Great Lugano as a midpoint between the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the major economic and political capitals (Milan, Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt, London) makes Ticino a privileged and attractive place for economic capital, companies and people.

Lugano and the world

Main features

• Green private flights depart from Lugano Airport.
• Air fleets are fully electric.
• Drones fly from Lugano to Malpensa / Davos / Sankt Moritz.
• Malpensa to be reached in 40 minutes by train.
• Slow-travel tourism is enabled by cruise airships.
• The underground highway allows more green and more silence 
• International collaborations are set for cross-border mobility.