TIMELINE:
NOV 2019
We start working on the idea.
SEP 2021 – DEC 2022
We elaborate and share the vision with other professionals and the academy world.
JUL 2023
MASS-IPV approval by Horizon Europe.
AUG 2023
THINK EARTH approval by Innosuisse Flagship.
JAN 2024
ROCK3DP approval by Innosuisse.
APR 2024
Building licence application.
MAY 2024 – MAR 2025
CBI Booster | Circular Building Industry Call 6 in collaboration with FHNW (we are the sponsor and implementation partner).
OCT 2024
Building licence approval.
NOV 2024 – JUN 2025
Detail planning of the Living Innovation Lab.
SEP 2025 – SPRING 2026
Complete working drawings work package.
SPRING 2026
Start building phase.
AUTUMN 2026
Grey works complete.
SUMMER 2027
Opening of the Living Innovation Lab.
SUMMER 2027 and ONWARDS
Dissemination, assessment, workshops, creation of the Foundation.
CITATIONS:
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The Living Innovation Lab in Acquarossa, Southern Switzerland, is a pioneering project that synthesizes tradition and innovation to create a paradigm for sustainable community living.
This four-story, five-apartment edifice embodies an integrated approach to sustainability, community engagement, and holistic living, reflecting the ethos of its alpine setting in the Blenio Valley. The project's primary focus is on reimagining construction methodologies, minimising emissions, optimising resource utilisation, and enhancing biodiversity. Aligning with Switzerland's national objective of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the Living Innovation Lab transcends conventional construction paradigms, emphasising the interconnectedness of human existence with the built environment and nature.
Serving as a living laboratory, this multi-use facility is meticulously designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising occupant comfort. It incorporates cutting-edge renewable energy systems, digital monitoring technologies, efficient water management strategies, and regenerative building materials. The facility is not merely a demonstration site like provisional buildings or pavilions; it is a fundamental operational instrument offering a unique setting that cannot be replicated in a traditional research environment.
The project adopts a user-centred design approach, fostering open innovation and real-world testing. Recognising that humans spend approximately 80% of their lives in buildings, it emphasises human-building interaction. The inhabited building allows for authentic human-building interactions, ensuring that the development of technologies and services is directly informed by end-user needs and feedback.
Community engagement and education are fundamental to the project, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among residents while promoting environmental stewardship. The Living Innovation Lab facilitates collaboration among architects, researchers, and community members, ensuring that its objectives are achieved through collective effort and expertise.
BLANCO, founded by Ivana and Benjamin Nott, operates as a pivotal research-focused implementation partner that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to advance the knowledge frontier. BLANCO is developing the Living Innovation Lab, which already has a proven track record of translating theoretical concepts into real-world applications through its involvement in high-profile initiatives such as the Innosuisse Flagship Regenerative Construction project, THINK EARTH with ETH Zurich, and MASS-IPV under Horizon Europe with Fraunhofer ISE/SUPSI. These initiatives focus on the massive integration of photovoltaics in buildings and highlight the Living Innovation Lab's ability to tackle complex interdisciplinary challenges—from material innovation in construction, as seen in the ROCK3DP research project with ETH Zurich/SUPSI around façade panels printed with clay, to advancing circular building models exemplified by the CBI Booster project and Circular Business Models in the Construction Industry with FHNW, a venture financed by Innosuisse ARE.
By offering a real-world testing ground in Acquarossa, the Living Innovation Lab is an integral part of the research methodology. It provides proof of concept by functioning as both a research tool and subject, ensuring that technologies are rigorously tested in a real-world setting while providing the necessary environment to study and refine the interplay of human-building interactions and technology acceptance—bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical implementation.
Upon completion, the building will incorporate digital innovations providing real-time data on various environmental metrics. This feature aims to encourage occupants to actively participate in minimising their ecological impact while testing the hypothesis that significant change is achievable when communities unite under a shared vision.
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS:
Innosuisse Flagship :
Horizon Europe :
Building Economics
Rock 3DP
