Minusio

The city of Minusio, located in the Canton of Ticino on the shore of Lago Maggiore, faces significant challenges in managing densification within its suburban landscape. The area, known for its attractiveness, must address the quality of public spaces and the integration of its hydrologic structure, which plays a crucial role in drainage, a function that will become increasingly vital due to climate change and the rise in heavy rain events. Initial discussions have identified key Baukultur challenges related to sense of place, which include better integrating the primary landscape elements (mountain, lake, lakeshore promenade, drainage creeks) into the daily life and public spaces of the city, enhancing the visibility and accessibility of the area’s natural assets (lake and mountain) from urban spaces, gradually restoring the former agrarian paths and topographical features that have been recently overtaken by buildings and converted into car-filled streets, and mitigating the impact of standard high-density buildings on the urban environment.