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The Campus Master Plan

1) M. Crist Fleming Library, classrooms, & dorm
2) Monticello classrooms & dorm
3) Palestra Sports Center
4) Casetta offices
5) Villa De Nobili dorm, offices, health center, & dining
6) Scuderia dorm
7) Giani dorm
8) Hadsall dorm & ES classrooms
9) Coach House classrooms
10) Casa Fleming
11) Lanterna classrooms & dorm
12) Fiammetta classrooms
13) Palmer Cultural Center
14) Ferit Şahenk Fine Arts Center & Palestrina gym
15) MacDermid Hall (residence & classrooms) & Music Center
16) Campo Science Center
17) Le Pergole - ES classrooms*
18) Annie Bezekian ES Center
19) Balmelli dorm
20) Del Sole dorm
21) Ca’ Piccola dorm
22) Aurora ES classrooms
23) Underground Parking, Sports Field, & Basketball Court*
24) Greenhouse*
25) Gatehouse*
26) Dining Hall*
27) Swimming Pool*
 
*To be realized

 

In 1996, TASIS engaged classical architect and urban designer David Mayernik to develop a Master Plan for the TASIS campus. The result is a long-term plan that is not only tailored to the needs of the School but also serves as a model for the world as an ideal academic community. The guiding idea of the Master Plan is to create a village environment to foster a sense of community, complete with green spaces, open piazzas, and multi-functional buildings. The Plan also places sustainable development at the forefront. TASIS has since become renowned as an example and advocate of sustainable campus design.

The TASIS Global Village is an internationally recognized leader in stewardship and sustainability. Completing the Global Village requires continued dedication, hard work, and financial support over many years. The challenge is enormous and exciting! Since its founding in 1956, TASIS has established its reputation as the oldest and finest American boarding school in Europe, and as the School realizes its Global Village Master Plan it has also developed the most beautiful campus in Europe: a shining light for Ticino, and a proud expression of America’s contributions to international culture.

To find out more about TASIS's past, see where our programs and initiatives are today, and learn how you can be part of the change that will secure TASIS's standing as one of the most academically challenging institutions in the world, please see The TASIS Global Village: Our Vision for the Future. This in-depth publication also provides background information on the school that Mrs. Fleming started, the TASIS Foundation, Mrs. Fleming's Endowment for International Understanding and Leadership, awards and scholarships at TASIS, Annual Giving, the MCF Legacy Society, the different ways to give, and more.

If you'd like to participate and help TASIS make the completion of the Global Village a reality, please visit tasis.ch/giving.

 

Global Village Timeline

“I have always believed if you live long enough and work hard enough you can make dreams come true. This beautiful building with all it contains is surely part of my dreams come true but I want us to keep marching up the hill—striving toward the sky, as we create a better world.”

M. Crist Fleming at the opening of the Palestra in 1999

1999

Palestra

Built in 1999, the striking and spacious Palestra was designed by Master Architect David Mayernik and was the first building to be completed in the TASIS Global Village. It contains a large gymnasium, a fitness center, a dance studio, a student lounge, and several music classrooms and offices. 

Solar panels have recently been installed atop the Palestra's expansive roof to harness clean power, lower campus emissions, and drive our green initiatives forward.

 

2004

M. Crist Fleming Library

The impressive M. Crist Fleming Library was completed in 2004 and was awarded 2005 Palladio Award from Traditional Building magazine. The area in front of the library is known as the M. Crist Fleming Piazza and serves as a meeting space for students between classes and after school.

 

2006

Aurora Classrooms

Built in 2006, Aurora (or “Dawn”) sits high on the hill like the rising sun and contains six colorful, spacious classrooms for students in grades three and four.

 

2009

John E. Palmer Cultural Center

Designed by Master Architect David Mayernik and built in 2009, the Palmer Cultural Center is named for alumnus John E. Palmer ’64, who generously left his entire estate to TASIS in gratitude for his experience. It houses a 130-seat theater and several drama classrooms and offices.

 

2010

Lanterna Dormitory & Classrooms

Completed in 2010, Lanterna was named for the lantern that crowns the vaulted stair passage and for the lamp in the TASIS crest. Like the buildings on campus named for the sun (Aurora and Del Sole), this building makes the crest a living place.

 

 

2012

Ferit Şahenk Fine Arts Center

Thanks to a most generous gift from Ferit Şahenk '83, the state-of-the-art Şahenk Fine Arts Center serves as the hub of the visual arts at TASIS.

 

2014

Campo Science Center

The innovative Campo Science Center was completed and ready for use in September 2014. It houses eight science laboratories: the Helsinn Chemistry Laboratory and Prep Room; Biology, Physics, and Environmental Science laboratories; two Middle School Science laboratories; and two standard classrooms.

 

2026

MacDermid Hall, MacDermid Music Center

Opened in August 2026, MacDermid Hall includes 27 double student rooms, two faculty apartments, a common room for residents, and four classrooms.

The MacDermid Music Center is equipped with everything needed to support the school’s comprehensive music curriculum.

 

Our Vision for the Future:

Collina Alta (Upper Campus) and Collina Bassa (Lower Campus)

Learn more about the campaigns and naming opportunities

Future Additions to the Global Village

2027

Annie Bezikian Elementary School Center

The bright and welcoming classrooms in Belvedere are being renovated in a way that is designed to inspire curiosity and a love of learning in our Elementary School students.

 

2027

Le Pergole

This beautiful new building for the Elementary School will include four large classrooms and two rooftop terraces.

 

2029

Dining Hall

This beautiful new facility will include a spacious kitchen and dining space for 230 people on the main floor with additional seating on a terrace that provides a spectacular view of campus.

 

2029

Laboratory and Greenhouse

Donated by Jan Opsahl ’68 to forward sustainability initiatives at TASIS, the Ismail Terlemez ES Science Lab and Jan Opsahl ‘68 greenhouse will provide inspiring spaces for young scientists to learn about our environment. 

 

 

2029

Field and Basketball Courts

A new outdoor basketball court and improved playing field will be used frequently during recesses and by our athletics and physical education departments.

 

 

2029

Gatehouse

This new hub for our security and reception teams will replace the gazebo that currently sits by the main entrance to campus.

 

2029

Garage

This underground garage will provide parking spaces for cars and motorbikes, freeing up some valuable space on campus.

 

Awards, Press, and Publications

The architectural vision and realization of the TASIS Global Village have been recognized internationally for their commitment to timeless design, urbanism, and sustainability. Our campus has proudly earned prestigious architectural awards and has been featured in leading industry publications and mainstream media.

Architectural Awards & Honors

The master plan and individual buildings of the Global Village—designed by campus architect David Mayernik—have been celebrated by top architectural institutions:

  • INTBAU Excellence Awards (2016): Honourable Mention in Urban Design for the TASIS Lugano Campus.

  • Prix Européen d’Architecture Philippe Rotthier (2014): Awarded the Jury Prize for the architectural and urban design of the TASIS Lugano Campus.

  • Palladio Award (2005): Awarded by Traditional Building magazine for the design of the 11,635-square-foot M. Crist Fleming Library.

Press & Media Highlights

Our Collina d'Oro campus is consistently recognized as one of the most picturesque educational environments in the world.

Featured in Publications

The Global Village serves as a modern case study for traditional, sustainable building practices and has been highlighted in several prominent architectural books:

  • Traditional Architecture: Timeless Building for the Twenty-First Century Featured as a prime example of contemporary traditional architecture. (Available on Amazon | Read the Traditional Building Magazine Review)

  • Durability in Construction: Tradition and Sustainability in 21st Century Architecture The campus is showcased in this comprehensive text (published by Papadakis) detailing how traditional design principles promote long-term sustainability. (View the Publisher's Page)