UPENN

Bosco Gurin, Switzerland

THE STUDIO’S AIM
This studio seeks an approach in landscape architecture where poetry regains it’s required space. The lack of sensibility towards atavistic and primordial quality of the place is a recurring issue in today’s projects in landscapes and urban fabrics, in villages and cities. Today all sites seem to look the same, insipid and colorless, flat and sterile, standardized merely 1n accordance with managerial requirements. The result is often not the one we identify as able to transmit beauty. Against this we are called to intervene.

THE SITE
Bosco Gurin, situated at an altitude of 1500 meters, is not only a picturesque site or the only German speaking village in the Italian Tessin canton, but this mountain village is since the 13th century a Walser settlement which was isolated till 70 years ago. The inhabitants once led a meager existence, which prepared them to be able to settle in areas that others left alone. Even with only 93 inhabitants Bosco Gurin has kept it’s characteristics till today. The municipality and the canton are careful not to allow the character of the village to be destroyed. But recent investments have turned it now to a well known tourist attraction. In a few months more has been built than in the last 20 years.