Nuovo Palazzo Della Provincia di Bolzano by OFL architecture and rabatanalab was born out of the desire to establish an historical continuity between the present and the past in Bolzano, Italy. The study was carried out on the innovative facade system as a new organism that recalls the iconography of the symbols of the city, such as the Duomo, while using contemporary technology.
More on this project after the break.
The plan of the Cathedral of Bolzano was used as the generator of the architectural composition of the entire facade of the new building, which looks organic, alive, pure and dynamically opens outwards into the whole territory. The trend of the ribs of the great vault’s “a crociera”, projected on the three naves, have permitted the extrapolation of the particular generator module of the new skin. The proposal is the stylistic facade of a building put simply in terms of volume and floor plans.
It consists of two cores for the vertical distribution with ladders and hydraulic lifts and also contains sanitary facilities and kitchenettes. This leads to various levels of offices free of pillars. The building comprises a total of 9 floors above ground and 2 underground levels. The ground floor consists of an arcade, obtained by pulling back the building’s perimeter wire of the main facade, thus allowing the integration between the street level and the new building. The atrium entrance porch is an inviting area that separates the children’s area from a café and the accessibility of employees from passers-by.
The optimization of the exploitation of natural light is important not only for the visual comfort but also for energy conservation. The common areas will have devices to monitor and regulate energy consumption with time sensors and daylight sensors. The offices are of different cuts and in some cases have apertures of furniture to ensure greater flexibility and breadth of space, allowing for needed remodeling of different environments. One of the main goals was to make everything accessible to those who find themselves in conditions of reduced or impaired mobility or sensory impairment.
For the same ease of accessibility, it will be easy to reach the building, to enter and to enjoy the space and equipment in the appropriate safety and autonomy. On the roof there solar thermal and photovoltaic panels. The basement holds the archive, technical rooms, warehouse, call center and the server, changing rooms and the cleaning storage rooms. A fire escape as an escape route connects the underground levels with the ground floor outside.
Architects: OFL architecture + rabatanalab Location: Bolzano, Italy Client: Comune di Bolzano Phase: International competition | Entry Area: 4500 sqm Construction budget: 14M € Plan’s title: Nuovo Palazzo Provincia di Bolzano Project team: Francesco Lipari, Vanessa Todaro, Daniele Molinari, Rocco Salomone, Felice Allievi, Pasquale Tuttolomondo, MANENS spa Timing: design 2011
