Chapter 2 – Material Culture
Every stone in Corippo had its place – not for aesthetic reasons, but out of sheer necessity. What looks like a picturesque postcard village is in truth a response to cold, steep slopes and lack of space, perfected over centuries. Since 1975 the entire clustered settlement has been a listed national monument.
Corippo is regarded today as an outstanding example of alpine vernacular architecture – traditional building methods adapted to local conditions. In 1975, during the European Architectural Heritage Year, Corippo was selected by the Swiss Confederation and the Canton of Ticino as a historic settlement of national significance, to be preserved in its entirety as an “exemplary realisation”.
Selected as a historic settlement of national significance.
Extremely dense, interwoven village layout.
All rustici face south-east for maximum winter light.
The morphological character of this so-called clustered village is extremely dense. The streets and narrow lanes (viottoli) are tightly interwoven, while all historic dwellings – the rustici – consistently face south-east towards the valley. This strict orientation was no architectural coincidence but a climatic imperative: it maximised the passive use of morning sunlight during the harsh, shadowy winter months.
The residential buildings typically consisted of only a single, multifunctional room per floor. The walls were built from massive, irregular natural stones, giving them a high thermal mass.
Corippo’s most fascinating architectural feature: heavy stone slab roofs, laid entirely dry without mortar or nails, using centuries-old craftsmanship that withstands even the fiercest storms.
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