A lake view in paradise

Situated in the Paradiso municipality in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, the Capo San Martino luxury residential complex occupies a splendid position looking out over Lake Lugano from the slopes of Monte San Salvatore.
The development’s tiered structure follows the hillside to enable it to blend harmoniously into the surroundings and to ensure uniform exposure to sunlight. The 27 large apartments making up the complex are arranged on various levels and include arcaded areas, covered loggias and panoramic terraces. These outdoor areas appear to float above the lake and serve as external courtyards where the occupants of each individual apartment can relax and enjoy the outdoor environment. Certain areas of the complex are set closer into the hillside, while the lakefront sections are extensively glazed and use solar screen elements to shield the portions most exposed to sunlight.
The apartments come in various shapes and sizes and stand on seven different levels on the hillside. The ground level, close to the shore of the lake, hosts a wellness area, gym and swimming pool with large adjoining terrace. Each tiered level accommodates 4-5 housing units with a layout that reflects the unusual nature of the topography. The terraces are staggered to ensure greater privacy for each apartment’s open space. As they lack sunlight and natural ventilation, the areas closer to the hillside are used for communal facilities, while the fifth and sixth levels house the large garages reached via ramps from the road above. Pedestrian access to the apartments is via these parking lots or a long flight of stairs at the centre of the complex, illuminated with natural light via a skylight.
The complex is situated in a luxury residential neighbourhood consisting entirely of exclusive villas, while its elevated position ensures breathtaking views of Lake Lugano.
The free spaces between the buildings are filled with lush vegetation, and terraced crops grow on the steep hillside. These terraces also served as a design cue for the architecture, which is dominated by large balconies overlooking the lake. The «floating» platforms are clad with a stone-look full-body porcelain tile that blends in seamlessly with the façade solution adopted for the complex. In particular, the NAT line from Ceramica Del Conca in the DUE 20 mm thickness version was chosen due to its suitability for raised installation, a solution that allows water to flow away and facilitates installation and maintenance of the utilities.
The pavings are clad with 60×60 cm square modules in a pale Alaska colour, chosen to create a bright floor surface while reflecting the hot sunlight during daylight hours.
Inspired by North American slate, the collection creates a sense of continuity between the exterior horizontal and vertical surfaces. The areas where the ceramic tiles encounter the flowerbeds form a kind of private courtyard where residents can sit and enjoy the open air. To ensure maximum transparency and lightness, the parapets are also glazed and the strongly contemporary apartments open out onto the landscape via large windows or spacious covered loggias in a fascinating interplay of interior and exterior spaces.