Redevelopment of the Piazza Molino Nuovo area

In June 2025, the City of Lugano submitted a request to the City Parliament for a credit of CHF 970,000 to carry out a project to upgrade Piazza Molino Nuovo in line with “sponge city” principles. The intervention is made possible thanks to a virtuous collaboration between the public authority and La Mobiliare Insurance, which is actively supporting sponge city projects with the aim of mitigating the effects of climate change. It will contribute CHF 400,000 to the redevelopment of Piazza Molino Nuovo.

In 2021 the procedure of parallel study mandates was concluded, making it possible to identify a new urban concept for the redevelopment of the Piazza Molino Nuovo area, which since 1991 has been subject to a special plan (PP2). The panel of experts recommended the proposal by the CONT-S group as the reference basis for the area’s future development. A zoning plan amendment is currently being prepared, but its approval and implementation will still take a long time.

An innovative project that follows the principles of the “sponge city”
Molino Nuovo has been waiting for years for the square to be upgraded, which is needed to restore decorum and usability to a key public space for the district’s residents. To meet this need without further delay, the City of Lugano’s Division of Urban Spaces has developed an interim project of high quality that is also financially sustainable, without precluding the area’s future development.

La Mobiliare is actively engaged in initiatives inspired by the sponge city concept, offering concrete responses to counter the effects of climate change; since 2006 it has co-financed over 160 prevention projects in Switzerland, for a total of around CHF 43 million. Having assessed the City’s project, and recognising its innovative and high-quality character, La Mobiliare has decided to support it with a financial contribution of CHF 400,000.

The project is based on sponge city principles such as sustainable stormwater management, promotion of urban biodiversity and reduction of heat islands. The goal is to create a high-quality meeting place for the district’s population, increasing biodiversity and urban greenery in a densely populated area. In particular, it provides for: depaving in favour of permeable surfaces, which will improve the microclimate and water balance by increasing rainwater infiltration and reducing heat; insertion of a double row of trees to separate the square from the roadways, along with additional trees and greenery using native species to promote biodiversity; installation of infiltration pits and permeable surfaces to limit runoff and contain the effects of heavy rainfall, thus preventing flooding and overloading of sewers.

Surface parking spaces will be maintained: the asphalt will be replaced with a permeable surface. The recycling point will also be maintained, as will the bicycle, motorcycle and PubliBike stands, which will be reorganised as part of the project.

The fountain by Tita Carloni becomes an integral part of the sponge city project: in its lower part the flow of water will be restored, while in its upper part vegetation will be inserted, echoing the initial concept proposed by architect Carloni and respecting the structure. The architectural design of the square’s original project will also remain substantially legible. The fountain thus remains a central element of the “sponge city” project, contributing to an improved local microclimate.

The project provides for the possibility of a drinking-water point by reinstating the small fountain present within the structure. These interventions do not compromise the fountain or the main geometries of the square designed by architect Tita Carloni, thus reinterpreting the area in a contemporary and functional way for the benefit of the population.

The project will be accompanied by an educational trail both on sponge city topics and on the history of the Piazza.

Within the dialogue with the Molino Nuovo District commission, the proposal was shared and received very positive feedback. The Dispatch is being transmitted to the City Parliament.

Last updated: 26 September 2025