The USI Academy of Architecture at the House of Switzerland for Milano Cortina 2026

For the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Università della Svizzera italiana will showcase a project from its Academy of Architecture at the House of Switzerland. From 4 to 22 February 2026, the installation "Come si muovono le nuvole" (How clouds move) will offer the international audience an original insight into the dialogue between architecture, nature and movement.

As part of the cultural programme accompanying the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, USI will be featured at the House of Switzerland during the Salone delle Alpi. This presentation originated in the educational sphere but is designed to appeal to a wide audience. "Come si muovono le nuvole" is the result of a design workshop at the USI Academy of Architecture, led by architect and designer - as well as Professor and Director - Riccardo Blumer, which involved students in a reflection on the natural world and its ephemeral forms.

The starting point is a question that is as simple as it is complex: what is the "physiology" of a cloud? Leonardo da Vinci already defined them as "bodies without surface", emphasising their changeable and elusive nature. Starting from this suggestion, the workshop investigated the movements of clouds, including those above the Alpine peaks, questioning the laws and forces that determine their shape and transformation.

This process gave rise to 12 cloud configurations, each characterised by different dynamics and primary forms. The structures, made of wood, are equipped with small electric motors that animate their movement: a slow, periodic rotation that also generates cyclical, determined sounds, amplifying the installation's sensory experience. Drawings, reliefs and models form the basis of a process that intertwines creativity, discipline and method, while deepening our understanding of the complexity of nature.

The project serves not only as a training exercise but also as an invitation for visitors to the House of Switzerland. It offers them a chance to embark on a fascinating journey that stimulates the imagination and allows them to rediscover the beauty and perfection of natural phenomena through the lens of architecture.

The exhibition will be open for the duration of the Winter Olympics, from 4 to 22 February 2026. More information about the installation and the House of Switzerland's programme is available on the official website at this link: https://www.houseofswitzerland.it/en/exhibition/come-si-muovono-le-nuvole-presented-by-the-academy-of-architecture-of-universita-della-svizzera-italiana-usi