By Greta Battaglia – Architect and scientific collaborator (BIPV Team)

SOLARCHITECTURE is pleased to announce the official launch of the docu-film “Energy and design: building with integrated photovoltaics”, produced by SUPSI – Institute for Sustainability Applied to the Built Environment (ISAAC) – as part of the European Seamless-PV project.
The film, produced in partnership with ISPLORA, is available online, in its entirety and divided into thematic episodes, from today, Monday 9 July 2025, on our website.

The docu-film is specifically aimed at architects, designers and professionals in the construction sector, with the aim of offering an accessible and inspirational look at the world of photovoltaics integrated into buildings (BIPV). Far from technical jargon and energy performance alone, the film explores the aesthetic, cultural and social value of solar architecture through concrete examples in Ticino and the surrounding area.

Five episodes, five buildings, five key themes in collaboration with various local partners:

• Solar architecture and sustainability – Lo Scudo di Stabio (Stabio)
• Design and energy efficiency – Kita Wundernasa (Ried-Brig)
• Integrated photovoltaics: between architecture and education – Franklin University extension (Sorengo)
• Solar architecture and building conservation – Doragno Castle (Rovio)
• Solar architecture: a choice for the community – Polis Centre (Pregassona)

Each episode shows how photovoltaics can interact with architectural design, becoming an integral part of it and enhancing its aesthetics, functionality and energy efficiency.

A European project for an integrated and sustainable future

The docu-film was produced by the SUPSI BIPV team as part of the training activities developed with the support of the European SEAMLESS-PV project, for the Horizon Europe research programme co-funded by the European Union and the Swiss Confederation. The project involves 18 partners from 6 countries, including research institutes, universities, companies and professional firms. The main objective is to develop advanced, flexible and highly integrable photovoltaic technologies, as well as new training models and cross-sector collaborations, making them more accessible and competitive in the construction market.

Within the project, the SUPSI BIPV team is responsible for activities related to the training of construction-related professionals, with a particular focus on solar architecture. Through the docu-film, and thanks to the showcase of innovative buildings in the area, now brought to international attention, the team proposes a new model of knowledge sharing, combining technical information with an experiential, visual and narrative dimension to actively promote the integration of solar energy in contemporary architecture.

More generally, the aim of the SUPSI BIPV team is to encourage the market implementation of integrated photovoltaic systems as a veritable building material, promoting their sustainable use in compliance with current regulations and the most advanced quality criteria. This is achieved through applied research, pilot and innovation projects, training and market analysis, developed in collaboration with key players and companies in the sector. It’s a cross-cutting approach that combines technology, architecture and landscape with competitive costs and a focus on urban quality.

For those working in the design world, this is an opportunity to learn about concrete and replicable integrated photovoltaic solutions that can inspire new visions for the architecture of the future.

In addition to the SEAMLESS-PV project, we would also like to thank the partners of the initiative: Martinelli+Rossi Architetti, Flaviano Capriotti Architetti, DeltaZERO and the City of Lugano.