To face the challenges posed by shifting socio-economic, institutional and territorial features, the City of Lugano has equipped itself with three programmatic governance instruments: development guidelines for a ten-year horizon, a financial plan, and a single, coordinated municipal master plan (PDcom), with common objectives and guidelines that take into account the characteristics of each district. The PDcom is a strategic, concrete, dynamic, and communicative tool that serves as the base for harmonizing the regulatory plans of the individual districts.