Insights
Giovanni Lombardi: The Origins of the Future
A vision told through photography.
To mark the centenary of Dr. Eng. Giovanni Lombardi’s birth, 173 previously unpublished photographs from the engineering firm’s historical archive offer a glimpse into its early construction sites and the projects that shaped its history. Hosted at the Giubiasco office, the exhibition reveals the roots of a design culture that continues to shape and inspire our company’s work today.
The photographs on display take us back to the years when our engineering firm was just beginning to establish itself and when projects were taking shape that would leave a lasting mark on Swiss engineering. They document landmark works such as the Gotthard Road Tunnel, the Contra Dam in the Verzasca Valley, the Stalvedro facilities and the new Biaschina plant, alongside other projects that accompanied the transformation of the Ticino region.
In the early 1960s, bridges, dams, tunnels, hydropower plants and transport infrastructure were far more than major technical undertakings. They reshaped the relationship between mountains and valleys, energy and mobility. In this context, the engineer’s work extended beyond the individual structure, contributing to the modern development of the canton.
The photographs reveal more than the technical dimension of these projects. Alongside the vast construction sites, they bring people, everyday actions, tools, materials and the precision of the work into focus. In doing so, they offer an immediate sense of the working methods, the design ethos and the dedication behind each realization. Every image speaks of the interplay between technical expertise, the landscape and the determination to master complex challenges.
Rather than following a simple chronology, the exhibition draws attention to the process behind every project. Behind each piece of infrastructure lie research, dialogue, responsibility and the determination to develop solutions suited to the needs of their time. Through photographs, this wealth of knowledge and experience becomes tangible, transforming the archive into a vivid and enduringly relevant narrative.
The deliberately understated exhibition design gives the photographs room to speak for themselves. The contrasts of black and white, the details of the construction sites and the quiet presence of the people convey the power of a story whose significance reaches far beyond its own time.
One hundred years after Dr. Lombardi’s birth, the exhibition pays tribute to a figure who played a defining role in shaping the identity of our engineering firm. At the same time, it invites visitors to rediscover its roots through the images. The exhibition shows how expertise, precision and sensitivity to surrounding landscape remain among our core values to this day.
«Photographs preserve what time cannot hold on to: the moment when an idea becomes more than an intuition - and begins to change the world» Claudia Gianora, Kuratorin der Ausstellung
