The former Academy Library is ready to make its come back as a gymn for young athletes

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Institutional Communication Service

20 April 2020

The "SportAcademy" project for the creation of new spaces dedicated to the preparation of young athletes in various sports kicks off from the Mendrisio area. USI pays its contribution to this project aimed at fostering the development of the region in the name of sustainability, and offers the premises of the former Library of the USI Academy of Architecture, which will be dismantled and rebuilt.

The Gym Elite Mendrisiotto (GEM), Martial Arts Dojo (DOJO) and the Mountaineering Society (SAT) of Chiasso are tackling the issue of the saturation of sports facilities in the Mendrisio and Basso Ceresio region with a project aimed at creating facilities that can give added value to the promotion of sport and training of young people from all over the region. The project would in fact involve the construction of a new wooden building thanks to the recovery of the former Academy Library. 

"Supporting this initiative is part of the University's third mandate, to serve the territory, which in this project is perfectly combined with USI's focus on sustainability. In addition, on these premises young people will be able to develop their talents, another aspect that is very dear to us", says Boas Erez, Rector of Università della Svizzera italiana. 

With more than twenty years of history, the building of the Academy Library tells a story of ingenuity and determination: it was in fact built in just a few months in 1997, when the University was founded in Mendrisio, and the Academy of Architecture kicked off in the course of one summer. The agile hands of Mario Botta and Aurelio Galfetti then designed the temporary wooden structure, erected first as a lecture hall and then as a library with minimal investment.

Having become too small and in need of renovation, USI decided to dismantle the structure, at the same time answer the call of the sports associations of Mendrisiotto and Basso Ceresio region, promoters of the initiative: "The project was submitted to the Municipality of Mendrisio and already counts on the collaboration of institutions and professionals - including the architect Max Otto Krausbeck, who graduated from the Academy of Architecture in 2002 - but is still looking for further support to officially start the renovation". The hope is that all this will be possible before it has to be dismantled at the beginning of 2021.

 

More information about the project:
www.sportacademy.team

 

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