International Competition, 3rd Prize

Year:
2000

Location:
Ascona, Switzerland

Seasonscape was awarded third place in the international competition organized by the City of Ascona, Switzerland. The proposal extends into the foreground of Ascona’s waterfront, effectively doubling the area of the lakeside promenade while introducing new tourism-oriented infrastructure.The project creates a new artificial ground plane at water level: a floating pontoon landscape that gently oscillates with the lake. This platform accommodates a ferry terminal alongside a range of complementary tourist programs.

The structural concept of Seasonscape is inspired by the anatomy of the human spine. Individual pontoons are interconnected through compressible rubber joints and anchored to the lakebed, allowing controlled movement and flexibility. The surface topology can be reconfigured in response to seasonal changes as well as temporary programmatic requirements.

A lightweight, flexible skin spans the pontoon structure, forming the upper architectural layer and enclosing the programmatic spaces above.

Partner in Charge:
Jürgen Mayer H.