Swing the World, swing with a view

Dreamt up entirely in Ticino, the Swing the World project is the brainchild of two young photography and filmmaking enthusiasts keen to introduce the world to the most stunning, breath-taking and Instagrammable corners of Ticino through hand-built swings scattered around the region. All this with an added focus on the environment.

“The idea came to me out of nowhere during lockdown. Fabio told me he had a swing in his garden when he was a child so we decided to build one from scratch. Then we thought: why not put it in a beautiful spot so that everyone can use it? With a heavenly corner of our region to act as a backdrop. That was how Swing the World was born”.

Elisa Cappelletti and Fabio Balassi are two young Ticinese from Locarno who are passionate about photography and filmmaking with a natural inclination towards beauty and a deep love for Ticino. Even though their project came to them by chance, as a hobby, the breath-taking photos of their first swing met with considerable social media success and made many people keen to try out the swing for themselves. “We didn’t have any plans when we started, we just wanted to share such a beautiful spot and didn’t expect this kind of reaction”. Now, after having set up several swings – six in the Lake Maggiore region – and receiving requests from various associations for others, the pair are enthusiastic about the future and the potential for expansion across the rest of Switzerland.

A walk in the woods, a hike up the mountains or a dip in the lake...suddenly there it is, a swing against the backdrop of an incredible view. The Swing the World swings have a very special charm, not least because they’ve been set up in locations aimed at bringing people to the most beautiful spots in the canton, but also because they’re completely handmade by these two local young people using local materials.

“With the exception of the ropes, which are made from polypropylene for greater resistance to bad weather and exposure to the sun, the swings are made entirely from natural materials. We use chestnut or locust tree trunks cut to about one metre in length, so that even two people can sit comfortably on the swing. Then we cut the logs in half lengthwise, plane and smooth the flat side and make holes for the strings. At this point, the base of the swing is ready to be carved with our Swing the World inscription using the pyrography machine, then painted and lacquered to make the wood resistant. I take care of the construction while Elisa, who also created the logo that we thought up and designed together, takes care of the decoration”. Once the swing is ready, it needs a site. With a focus on the theme of sustainability, these two young people from Ticino choose places that boast breath-taking views, where the swings can frame photos and happy memories and can also be reached on foot or by bike to avoid traffic and encourage people of all ages to enjoy a moment in nature.