‘Calcestruzzo leggero, eredità pesante’: il Lecabeton facciavista della Palestra di Riva San Vitale / ‘Lightweight concrete, heavy legacy’: exposed Lecabeton in the Gym of Riva San Vitale

Abstract

This article presents an emblematic example of modern architecture in Switzerland: the gymnasium of the Riva San Vitale school complex, designed by A. Galfetti, F. Ruchat-Roncati and I. Trümpy between 1972 and 1973. The building is notable for the quality of its construction, featuring continuous reinforced concrete walls made of lightweight LECA aggregates – an innovative material at the time that had not yet been extensively studied in terms of its long-term behaviour. Visual and diagnostic investigations conducted by the SUPSI Institute of Materials and Construction revealed that the strengths and weaknesses of Lecabeton were linked to the installation methods used and the environmental exposure conditions. After providing an overview of the historical and regulatory context, the case study describes the work, context, and results of the investigations to improve understanding of the performance and degradation mechanisms of a material that still holds significant cultural and technical value, even after fifty years. This contributes to the debate on the conservation of modern architecture by providing ideas for contemporary use of Lecabeton.