A unique retreat above Lake Maggiore | Architecture | Architonic

Designed by Ticino architect Cristiana Guerra, this new building in Muralto, near Locarno, looks as if it has been there throughout the ages. Its reserved design radiates a timeless sense of calm. Exposed concrete dominates the facade of this monastery-like building complex, which offers a wonderful view of the lake and the city. Inside, there are white and light-grey sections on the ceilings and walls; above all, wood is the stand-out material used. Wooden fittings and furniture, coupled with the wooden floors from traditional Swiss manufacturer Bauwerk Parquet, impart a warm ambiance to the rooms. The sisters from the Order of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross of Ingenbohl will be spending their well-deserved retirement in the twenty modestly furnished rooms and varied common areas in the Casa Sant’Agnese.