Mendrisio

A good project requires a good idea. For good work, mutual trust between client and architect is essential. This is the basis for the new building that has sprung up in Mendrisio, which groups five companies of the historic Rezzonico company under one roof.

The wooden structure is flexible and modular, and the facade is worthy representative of the group of companies now recognized under one name.

The available space is narrow and elongated and the building fills it, trying to tie existing and new volumes together: two tall concrete towers, a light wooden body suspended horizontally between the two and generously jutting out at the ends. A gesture sought and intended to show the lightness of this second material contrasted with the solidity of the first.

The long façade, transparent and translucent at the same time, by day accompanies the busy traffic of commuters and potential customers, and by night illuminates the street by showcasing the products and the new logo.

Inside, the narrow and elongated space is divided into two floors with different rooms, both in size and light. The structure with rectangular pillars and longitudinal beams is the real protagonist of these spaces, marked and rhythmic by it.

The mysterious rooftop invites one to browse, discovering an unexpected terrace, at once an open-air exhibition and a client lounge. The protagonist is a 360-degree view of two iconic Mendrisiotto hills, Monte Generoso and San Giorgio, caught above the vineyards and rooftops of Mendrisio.