Contributor
Charles De Ry

2014
Torre di Arbedo - Arbedo - Switzerland

The complex of “Torre di Arbedo” is situated in Arbedo, a village close to Bellinzona, Switzerland. It is closed to the highway and the rail station (a strategic location).
The building was well thought and transformed.
It is composed of two parts: the tower and the lower part. It is a conversion of an old mill in 31 modern apartments. The lower part has 6 storeys and 20 apartments. The tower has 11 levels and on each floor an apartment; the staircase is outside to maximize the living area.
On the top floor there is a roof garden with a pool, so that also the roof could be used, becoming an area available by all the inhabitants.
All the flats are designed as lofts in order to give a special sense of space.
Converting the old deposit (tower) in apartments, give the possibility to exploit the height of the building.
Nowadays, due to the regulatory constrains, is no more possible to build residential building as tall as this one.
The look of the “Torre di Arbedo” hasn’t change much. For the conversion of the tower they had to empty all the inside and rebuilt.
The conversion process involved a complete rebuilding: the base had to be reinforced concrete and prefab pillars had to be created to have loft open space.

[project selected by Nadinka Guscetti]

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Architecture as Resource / Imprint