Architects “compete” to value the lake’s bicycle path

It is an occasion to enrich the bicycle path of Lake of Varese, an occasion to give Municipalities ideas and, especially, to give architects the opportunity to take part in a prestigious competition: with important prizes and the close examination from a highly qualified international jury.

The national competition for the project to value the bicycle and pedestrian path of Lake of Varese has started. It is organised by the Association of Architects, Province of Varese and the Tourism Agency, and the announcement has been published on the Province’s site and is open to everybody. The aim is to create systems and services capable of increasing even more the value of the bicycle path, a site that is already used by many people and is an important focus point for tourism.

In general, this new initiative works this way: the municipalities concerned gave ideas and suggestions on the sites in which they have to work, which are Varese, Azzate, Bardello, Biandronno, Bodio Lomnago, Buguggiate, Cazzago Brabbia, Galliate Lombardo and Gavirate. Each of them noticed special features of the sites concerned by the bicycle path, on their territory on which they could work. All of these suggestions can be useful for the architects to present a global project to value the whole bicycle circuit.

All that will be closely examined by an international jury composed by the President of the Association of Varese, Laura Giannetti, and professionals such as Joao Nunes, Michele Arnaboldi, Alfonso Femia and Luca Molinari. They will decide which project will win the first three prizes: the project at the first place will win €7,000, the one at the second place will win €5,000, and the one at the third place will win €3,000. The winning ideas will be acquired by the Association of Architects of Varese, which will be able to cede them free to the Province of Varese and to the Municipalities, if they intend to continue the works for the project.

Among the suggestions there are: skateboard rinks, swimming pools and also benches, relax areas and monuments. There are plenty of suggestions and they are original, but it is the participants who will create their architectural projects, by using their expertise and imagination. These projects will be composed of a set of works, which will have to have these features: low consumption, energy autonomy, low building and service costs. They will also have to enter the surrounding areas easily and they will be judged also from a “sustainable” point of view.

Therefore, from today, the competition has started. All the candidates can apply for it till 22^nd July. We hope that many projects will be realised thanks to municipalities, companies and announcements.