Re: And that's the news from Switzerland...
Yes I have been to Switzerland, more than once. No I've not been to Lugano, although I was in Locarno this summer.
The Wikipedia page on Lugano seems to support my case - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugano#mediaviewer/File:BancadelGottardo(Botta).JPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugano#mediaviewer/File:SNV_San_Gottardo_02.jpg
While I grant that down on the lakes there's a definite Italian influence to some of the older buildings, I stick by my description of the newer stuff as "concrete boxes".
Just travel a couple of miles down the Lakes into Italy and the contrast in the towns couldn't be greater.
The Swiss mountain villages are an entirely different matter, those are incredibly pretty. Once you get to the towns of any significant population though ...