Energy and Landscape in Dialogue: LAND at UNIMONT Edolo
On June 12th, the UNIMONT Campus of the University of Milan in Edolo hosted the event “ENERSCAPE: verso un rinnovato connubio paesaggio-energia”, an open dialogue between Italy and Switzerland exploring how renewable energy can coexist with, and even enhance, the Alpine landscape.
Representing LAND, Matteo Pedaso, Director at LAND Italia, and Martina Conti, Director at LAND Suisse, shared perspectives on what it means to design productive landscapes today. Matteo focused on the Italian context, highlighting how territorial regeneration, energy transition, and new models of coexistence between nature and development are redefining landscape design. In his words, “it was a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences on the integration between renewable energy and landscape, and how this integration can foster new forms of public-private collaboration.”
Martina offered the Swiss viewpoint, sharing experiences of integrating energy infrastructure with Alpine land stewardship, with a focus on the Duragno Alpine Solar Park. “The landscape knows no boundaries,” she noted, “and increasingly becomes a living platform to build relationships between nature, people, and innovation.”
Photo by Radio Voce Camuna
The Duragno project exemplifies this approach. Located between 1,700 and 1,850 metres above sea level in the municipality of Mezzovico-Vira (Canton Ticino), it is one of the first high-altitude solar parks in Switzerland to fully align with the national Solarexpress strategy. Once complete, the park will generate clean electricity for around 4,000 households, while minimizing environmental impact and preserving the surrounding ecosystem.
“Duragno Alpine Solar Park in Canton Ticino certainly is a pioneering project in Switzerland—but not only in Switzerland, I would say in all of Europe. One of the first high-altitude alpine solar parks,” said Martina Conti in an interview with Radio Voce Camuna.
Photo by Radio Voce Camuna
With 15,840 bifacial solar panels elevated to allow natural vegetation growth and wildlife passage, the park combines technical innovation with a landscape-sensitive design. Located in a naturally sheltered basin, the project maintains low visibility and avoids concrete foundations to ensure full reversibility and alignment with local conservation guidelines.
Duragno Alpine Solar Park. Render by LAND
At LAND, we view the landscape as a dynamic, productive platform. The Edolo event underlined how the integration of renewable energy, design, and ecology can give rise to new narratives of place—ones rooted in collaboration, long-term vision, and mutual respect between people and nature.
