1) The reckless overbuilding started at the beginning of year two thousand, date from which most of the province ended up in the hands of Berlusconi’s government. This government promised the link with the territory and the preservation of the so-called "land of the fathers". In Como, due to the inability of the City Council in office from 2004 to 2012, the capital is suffering its highest level of decay never seen before. The useless construction of anti-flooding bulkheads has not been realized for the interests of the city and it is the witness of the worst administration that Como has ever had. The famous "wall" that limited the view of the landscape has been torn down due to protests of many people, but it was just the top of the iceberg of an ill-planned action which has been executed in an even worse way. It is an endless series of errors of assessment and a huge waste of public money. For example, the roadbed of the new bank was built in artificial stone, plastic in honour of the ancient history of the capital city. In this photo, apart from the "Playmobil" plastic, it can also be seen a new perfect “bus-style” roof for the Navigazione, excellently evoking the romantic memories of the boats in the Lake Como. 

2) The second place of the gallery of horrors has been assigned to the huge white building of the Borgovico (Como). The City Council, the commissioner and the graduated engineers have succeeded in destroying the landscape behind the walk of Villa Olmo. The neo-classical villas by the lake have been literally "crushed" by the bulk of the building. In the photo below, the arrows show how the new building has the same size as the historic villa. The nice thing is that such projects are in compliance with the law in force. 

3) Always in Como, this is the decay of most of the urban territory. The concrete is used where it is not actually needed while the rest is left to itself. The city is not considered as a value in itself but it is used as a container to satisfy external interests, especially private, political and financial ones. This deadly reversal of opinion has caused the disasters that are visible to all (it is our task to list them one by one). When citizens have complained about the wrong actions of the administration, some local politicians have spoken of "people's stomach ache" and answered:
"They shall mind about their houses walls".
No one has ever apologized to anyone for that. 

4) The fourth site is the park of Villa Roccabruna (Blevio), where the most ignominious deturpation has been perpetrated. The municipality granted a permit to the property company H.R.C. for building an extra-luxury residential area, which led to the spreading of thousands of cubic metres of concrete that turned the park into a sort of cement jungle. The new buildings are to feature a fake historical style, a sort of Disneyland for VIP people, in an area of inestimable cultural value. The villa is famous for being the place of vacation of Giuditta Pasta, famous lyrical singer, and the musician Vincenzo Bellini. The first architect, who was to assess the project’s environmental impact, did not give his approval and another one refrained from passing judgment. The municipal administration under the direction of mayor Vago, was firmly determined to carry on with its noble purpose; thus another couple of experts were appointed and in the end, thanks to favourable votes, the Nulla Osta for the works were granted.

5) Neither the authorization for developing the area of the Villa Roccabruna park, nor the scandalous attempt to sell the little beach of Belvedere (cfr. Comitato Salviamo le rive di Blevio, Committee for salvation of the Blevio shores) at knockdown price were enough; thus, the appalling town council of Blevio decided to grant permits for the construction of a huge multi-storey car park, know as “Alcatraz”, without following any architectural tactics or fundamental design decisions aiming at reducing its impact. Hats off to these smart architects!

6) Still in Belvio, Villa Cademartori is literally squeezed by these horrible semi-detached houses. Those who claim that objections should be raised upon completion of works should take a closer look at this photo.

7) When viewed from the Comacina Island, the Zoca de l'oli (basin of oil) looks like a building site. The first two pictures show the pretty olive groves that extend along the shores, threatened by the hotel Miralago restoration project, which initially implied volumetries to be increased tenfold compared to the original structure. Nevertheless, the municipalities of Sala and Ossuccio have given authorization to the opening of new construction sites that clash with the beauty of this side of the lake, far too much developed, and inscribed on the UNESCO list of "World Heritage Sites", amongst other things. The photo below (note the area around the newly built green wall) is a clear witness of the fact that urban density has reached its maximum level of sustainability. Should further development projects be carried out in Ossuccio, they will surely cause the total destruction of the magic atmosphere of the Lario; such criminal action would corroborate still further the culture of a nation that is record-holder in Europe for overbuilding.

8) These photos show the serious damages suffered by the Zoca de l’oli, which beauty was due to the olive groves and fruit trees that once extended to the shore. In the photo in the middle on the right, there is the famous bell tower of Ossuccio, surrounded by a huge amount of buildings. In the photo below, other new buildings overlook the main road Regina, more and more congested with the car traffic. 

9) The lakeside facing the island is left in a state of complete abandon while builders are busy erecting new residential areas.

10) An example of the clash between the monstrosities of our time and the beautiful and suggestive landscape. The small parvis of the church of S.Giacomo, in Ossuccio, has been converted into a parking lot,
as indicated by the rusty sign.

11) The Banca Popolare (Cooperative Bank) of Sondrio has just settled in the premises of the church of S.Maria Maddalena, right beneath the celebrated bell tower of Ossuccio.
No need for further comments.

12) After thirty years of sheer “immobilism”, the view over the upper part of Argegno and Colonno is literally devastated by cranes: at least a dozen. It is no use remembering that this part of the territory has been miraculously preserved, as opposed to other localities, “thanks” to such immobilism, for which the inhabitants of Como are often criticized. When the cranes were dismantled, they have left these purple skeletons that make their show in Argegno (photo below). Who are the architects?

13) Even the rustic fisher village of Colonno had to conform to the sign of the times. The main road Regina, that narrows into a bottle-neck, is continuously jammed with long queue of cars and lorries. The usual bulldozers constructed a parking garage which stands right at the town’s most panoramic site, along the old pedestrian road (see photo on the right). If nothing else, the car park will stop people form parking along the lakefront.

14) The situation in the upper part of Colonno, where the trail towards the alp starts out, is even worse. A helter-skelter complex of buildings has sprung up and is justified by the fact that the area has not been cultivated for centuries, as though uncultivated areas were not green anyway! The new edifices (always supposing that they do not remain empty) imply greater consumption and increase in the volume of traffic, which was already bad enough. In Val d’Intelvi, the mayor of Lanzo had to suspend the water supply to the nearby town of Ramponio, who was ready to grant new building licences. And do you know why? Because the aqueduct (obviously) would not be able to satisfy any further demand for water that would have derived from such initiative.
In the photo below, the "Colonno’s monsters" have separated the village below from its mountain. 

15) The Greenway of the lake has been realized to walk in the nature from Colonno to Lenno, but along the way they have grown the usual building sites like mushrooms. In Sala Comacina, in 2010, they have even destroyed 30 meters of the ancient Roman road to allow the passage of the bulldozers engaged in the construction of a complex with a building index of one cubic meter per square meter (index launched in the new planning regulations). In return, the Municipality has received 26,000 Euro for monetization and seven car spaces. 

16) The damage done to Sala Comacina.
By dint of construction, by now all the towns of the Zoca de l’oli are being seamlessly blended, while before, each village was characterised by its shape and position. What will it be like in 100 years?

17) This photo is emblematic: the new building erected between Dervio and Corenno Plinio, a hideous little ''eco-monster'' that truly deserves to be ranked in my Horror Gallery. Congratulations (the picture below shows the same landscape before this eyesore was built).

18) Even Brienno wanted an "eco-monster" of its own: a residential area for Russian tourists, with annexed three-storey car park, wellness centre and mini-funicular railway. The works were stopped several months ago due to volume irregularities, and since then, the building has been left standing in these admirable conditions.

19) In the photo on the left you can see the attic that has scarred the profile of the village (the works have been stopped for years due to an investigation). On the right, the stupid colours of new houses: orange and fluorescent yellow. This blatant stupidity is the symbol of the indifference and ignorance against the Como harsh environment. 

20) Carate-Urio. The shameful destruction of Santa Marta (one of the oldest churches), until a short time age surrounded by meadows and old stone walls. 

Before...

...after.

21) The Carate-Urio multi-storey car park, built in proximity of the church of S. Marta and well visible from the lake.

22) New construction in Laglio. George Clooney in person manifested his objection to the project for the construction of multi-storey car parks with elevators and hundreds of boat parking spaces, which would inevitably disrupt the harmonious lakefront landscape. To this end, a Citizens Committee for the salvation of the Laglio shores named Comitato Rive di Laglio was established. It was also signed by Clooney. Thank goodness, the mega-project (for a town that counts only 900 inhabitants) has been put aside. The photo below shows several grey walls and a yellow condo, visible at the center slightly above the shore, totally irrelevant to the surrounding architectural context.

23) In 2011, the shores of Laglio in Brienno seem to be dotted by cranes. That blue was used to build the new villa of a Russian Tycoon, for which the typical pre-existing architecture was demolished. That yellow was used to erect the usual residence in place of the old naval shipyard which testified of the Larian working-class tradition. Further down, there is yet another settlement at the mouth of the Brienno tunnel.

24) Several giant cranes framing Careno, one of the most characteristic villages of the lower lake. Never seen such an infamous vision
in my whole life.

25) A new "eco-monster" dominates the area where the path to S. Benedetto - that winds along the Sacred Mountain of Ossuccio - starts out. Surely we needed that, didn’t we?

26) Gravedona. Behind Palazzo Gallio, skeletons that have sprung up from nowhere.
I must say they definitely do justice to the designers...

27) Is that a new village I see springing up in the surroundings of Bellagio?  That amorphous mass of detached houses?

28) Como. The white ice coloured new building in Viale Geno, totally different from the surrounding architectural context. 

29) Como. Frenzied cranes overlooking Villa Gallia.

30) The recent orange-coloured settlement with a spectacular view over Como. The clash in style with villa Geno below is worth noting.

31) Rovenna: the newly built grey walls and condos that jar with the old residential area.

32) The cancer of irrational town planning does not even spare Colico, located at the lake far end in the natural oasis of Pian di Spagna.
Here is a magnificent ear-splitting building site along the Adda.

33) Sorico, located at the upper part of the lake. A strip of concrete that runs along the shores
of the Mera.

34) The new promenade connecting Pianello to Musso. Mayors call this chaos “tourism re-qualification” but it is really called “concreting of the shoreline”, a cancer tormenting all of Italy. In the past, these beaches reached for hundreds of metres and had the untamed charm of the upper lake. Now, except for the landscape, it seems like you’re at Milan’s seadrome. The lakeshore nature has been completely manipulated for the “joy” of tourists.  

35) Demolition of the Nanch woods authorized by the municipality of Menaggio during the 90s with the purpose of triplicating, without reason, the number of inhabitants. The zoning of the area contemplated about 34.000 cubic metres of concrete for building a hundred detached houses, which were obviously not intended for the young couples of Menaggio, but rather, élite tourists for a few months a year (provided that the flats shall not remain vacant).
In the photo: detail of the building site.

36) Bellano: the devastating effect of the new buildings on the villages above.

37) When seen from a distance, this complex, which seems to have appeared out of nowhere, slightly resembles a town. It is situated in Varenna close to the medieval hamlet of Vezio.

38) The bad quality of this photo is directly proportional to the terrific eyesore in question: the "eco-monster" of Acquaseria, already in the forefront of the national public opinion due to the building company bankruptcy and consequent interruption of the works. A heap of unfinished edifices that clutter the Lario lakeside, worthy of the suburbs of Milan.

39) The bad quality of this photo is directly proportional to the terrific eyesore in question: the "eco-monster" of Acquaseria, already in the forefront of the national public opinion due to the building company bankruptcy and consequent interruption of the works. A heap of unfinished edifices that clutter the Lario lakeside, worthy of the suburbs of Milan.

40) Villa Herker Hocevar, in Moltrasio - one of the historic residences of Vincenzo Bellini - has been recently renovated but it looks more like...a garage. Typical examples of how historical monuments are made subservient to car owners’ necessities.

41) The old steamer Plinio, abandoned on the small lake of Mezzola, was waiting for years to be restored as a floating museum (it was the oldest paddle steamer in Italy). It is sunk in 2010 due to the in the shameful indifference of the administrators. This striking image was taken just five days before the sinking (photo by Marco Ferrario). 

These breathtaking landscapes immersed in the green are only a few examples of how the beautiful Lario district must have looked like in the past. It is strange, however, that no new residential areas have been built using the typical stone of Moltrasio! A large number of property companies as well as several accommodating mayors consider a green area merely as uncultivated land to be designated for residential development, and “characterized” by new buildings. To add insult to injury, most of these new buildings, utterly useless, often remain vacant. It is of paramount importance that the granting of building permits (deregulated by Regione Lombardia thanks to a law passed in 1997), be subject again to the government restrictions in relation to urban planning.

42) South of Como: mount Goj wounded by four building sites.

43) Grandate, south of Como: settlements that are literally “devouring green lands”, in Prato Pagano. It is a very serious matter as these are the last plots of green land left. Everyone knows that space does not increase in proportion with built areas; but perhaps these clever town planners are not aware that the saturation point has been reached already.

44) Grandate is undergoing a reckless overbuilding thanks to a well-known construction company. This was the lawn once...

...now it is like that. Live space to the nth commercial-business centre!

45) Grandate is also affected by the works of the new highway Pedemontana. Within a year, from 2010 to 2011, the lawns there are completely disappeared. The rich Lombardy builts Milan’s skyscrapers, but they find too expensive the solution to bury the streets in the gallery. What remains of the martyred Brianza is about to be devoured piece by piece.

46) New shopping centres and new commercial buildings a few hundred meters from other shopping malls and other warehouses.    

47) Brianza lost at Fino Mornasco. 

48) Garzola, East Como: half the houses shown in this picture have been built over recent years and are now clouding over the panoramic view along the road to Brunate.