CRA - Carlo Ratti Associati and architect Italo Rota have developed a project to transform an 18th-century hospital complex in Modena, Italy, into a multidisciplinary cultural and innovation hub. The master plan for the new hub, called AGO Modena Fabbriche Culturali, includes an origami-inspired kinetic roof designed in collaboration with artist-engineer Chuck Hoberman. The feature will cover a triangular-shaped plaza in the center of the complex. The restoration plan also aims to create flexibility so that the structure can easily adapt to changing future configurations.
For this project, the architects are pursuing an experimental approach, combining the conventional practice of architectural conservation with the dynamic potential of kinetic architecture, more often employed in temporary installations. The kinetic roof proposed for one of the main courtyards of AGO is a light and foldable structure, an addition that helps create a comfortable social space adaptable to various climatic conditions and functions. To achieve this feature, CRA collaborated with Hoberman, a former collaborator with NASA and an expert in dynamic structure design.
The 20,000 square meters landmark presents a panoply of overlapped histories, characters, and changing functions, a multiplicity that inspired the architects to develop the concept for dynamic and adaptable interventions. Historical elements are kept and highlighted. Impressive vaulted corridors lead visitors through the complex to arrive at the chimney courtyard. Here, another kinetic installation leads people to the rooftop garden, where they can enjoy views of Modena and the surrounding landscape,
The AGO site is located at the entrance to Modena’s medieval city center, an area recognized for its beauty and historical significance, as it contains several monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The hospital complex was built in the mid-18th century, with a simple and modest architecture that reflects its function as the local Sant ’Agostino Hospital. Once completed, the AGO Modena will become a location that unites visual arts, digital culture, and educational experimentation. AGO will host numerous institutions, including the Modena Visual Arts Foundation, the Museo della Figurina dedicated to collectible cards, and the Interdepartmental Research Center on Digital Humanities.
Cultural places should be thought of as dynamic, capable of incorporating change over time. The changing nature of the built environment enables, in turn, a participatory approach to activate cultural production. AGO’s architecture sets up flexible, reconfigurable spaces where past and future complement each other. - Carlo Ratti, founding partner of CRA and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab
Carlo Ratti Associati is also part of the pan-European design collective selected to renew the Paul Henri SPAAK Building in Brussels, Belgium, the building housing the Parliament of the European Union. The office has also designed the MEET Digital Arts Center in Milano, another restoration project that converts a local landmark into an active and engaging space.
Project credits:
- AGO Modena Fabbriche Culturali
- A project by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Italo Rota
- CRA Team: Carlo Ratti, Andrea Cassi (partner in charge), Francesco Strocchio (project manager), Valentina Grasso (preliminary phases project manager), Alba Leon Alvarez, Lorenzo Anghinoni, Iratxe De Dios, Serena Giardina, Giulia Lodetti, Eugenia Macchia, Nicolette Marzovilla, Giovanni Trogu, Gizem Veral, Jelena Krco, Matteo Zerbi, Gary Di Silvio, Pasquale Millieri, Gianluca Zimbardi
- Italo Rota Building Office Team: Italo Rota, Francesca Grassi
- Kinetic roof: Hoberman Associates (Chuck Hoberman, Matthew Davis)
- Kinetic roof structure: INGEMBP (Corrado Curti)
- Restoration: Studio Associato Architetti Francesco Doglioni e Renata Daminato (Francesco Doglioni)
