Modular interim grammar school for Lugano

The school landscape of Lugano is being reorganised. In order to carry out the necessary renovations to existing buildings and construct new ones, a temporary facility will be needed for a transitional period of at least ten years. As general contractor, Implenia is constructing a three-storey building with a floor area of 9,200 square metres in the Viganello district.

The building is being constructed using prefabricated timber modules in accordance with the Minergie-A standard and is being executed using Lean Construction. The project volume for Implenia amounts to CHF 21 million. "By using the timber module construction method, we are opting for a sustainable solution that also enables short-term implementation," says Raffaele Balmelli, Head of Implenia's Lugano office. "At the end of the period of use, the modules can be quickly dismantled and reused."

The temporary grammar school has space for up to 800 pupils. The building will be ready for occupancy as early as summer 2023. Then the pupils of the Lugano 1 grammar school and the Centro secondary school, which are currently housed in the "Palazzo degli Studi", will move in. Later, the pupils from Savosa (Lugano 2 grammar school) will join them. This provides an opportunity for both existing buildings to be renovated. The "Palazzo degli Studi" should be renovated by 2026, the Savosa facility by 2033.