TAMassociati Wins Bellinzona Masterplan for Green Urban Transformation

The team led by TAMassociati, sa_partners, and Franco Giorgetta Architetto Paesaggista has won the international competition to redevelop the former Officine Bellinzona industrial site in Bellinzona, Switzerland. Presented to the public on October 22, the 'Porta del Ticino – Urban Living Lab' masterplan envisions a green corridor linking the UNESCO-listed Castello di Bellinzona to the historic 'Cattedrale' industrial building. Central to the plan is the Almenda, a 6.4-hectare public green space with 3.2 hectares of agricultural land, serving as a biodiversity hub and natural climate regulator. The 120,000-square-meter site will be developed in three longitudinal bands, with flexible building blocks for commercial, administrative, educational, and research functions. The project prioritizes sustainability: zero-emission goals, 100% renewable energy, water consumption halved, and the construction site used as an urban mine for materials. From 2026, the area will undergo gradual transformation, including cooperative housing, schools, a 25,000-square-meter innovation park, and innovative residential typologies like cohousing and temporary housing. TAMassociati, founded in Venice in the late 1980s and led by Massimo Lepore, Simone Sfriso, and Raul Pantaleo, emphasizes architecture as a service to the community. The expert jury unanimously selected the plan for its strong link to local history and territory.