Lugano owes its identity to the interplay of Lake Lugano and the River Cassarate. While during the 19th century it was the lake that shaped the nature of tourism and the appearance of the town, since that time the Cassarate has developed from what was once a peripheral zone to a central development axis with a university campus. Today, renaturing, biodiversity and climate resilience are the central focuses of urban planning. The planning guidelines for the town (Studio Paula Viganò) and the masterplan for the lakeshore and the town center (Inches Geleta Architetti and Dematté Fontana Architekten) aim at strengthening the relationship between the town and the water, upgrading the lakeshore and making it more easily accessible. A number of projects have already been implemented: De Molfetta Strode redesigned the Parco Lanchetta, Jachen Könz and Studio Vulkan are developing the lakeshore promenade in Paradiso. The renaturing of the Cassarate estuary produced Lugano Marittima, a popular recreation area that underlines the role of water as a major element in urban development.

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