Low cost housing

1964-1965
Locarno, TI
with
arch. Luigi Snozzi

This six-levels apartment building is located on the delta of the Maggia river. Over the years it has undergone a radical transformation.
It was conceived as part of a quarter project which planned several similar buildings.
The apartments are distributed in three groups, each group is provided with staircases and lifts: 30 apartments of 4 rooms, 8 duplex apartments with 3 rooms and 6 apartments with 5 rooms each. 
The ground floor hosts the entrance hall, staircases and lifts; around them the storage spaces, shelters and service areas, which due to the proximity of the phreatic stratum could not be set underground. 


The original façade was influenced by the Scandinavian experience of Livio Vacchini, Jacobsen particularly: wooden frames painted black, full height (60×270cm), upon which were inserted windows and Eternit facing panels.

The strong rational design allowed a large number of fixed equipments, normally not provided by the standard of social housing.