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The design proposal for the new Lavazza Headquarters and renovation of the former Enel power station show a profound appreciation for the history of Turin and of the neighbourhood, as well as for the coffee company's history and its culture.
The heart of the project is a new, expansive tree-planted piazza in the centre of the block positioned on the axis of Via Parma, which makes the large building of the former Enel power station enter a dialogue with the new headquarters of Lavazza.
The large existing block between Via Bologna, Largo Brescia, Corso Palermo and Via Ancona has been redesigned and opened to the city, while the existing industrial architecture has been preserved.
The office building, which communicates with the city through the extensive glazed atrium overlooking Via Bologna and the new green square, takes the form of a large “cloud“ (Nuvola) which fuse the different façades and the industrial buildings that have been preserved and converted to new functions. The “empty space” between the buildings gives to the city a green esplanade and opens an unusual point of access to the banks of River Dora.
Lavazza’s new headquarters engage with the existing city with great sensitivity: the heights of the building and the quality of the façades have been studied carefully in relation to the surrounding structures, the quality of the open spaces and solar exposure.
The ground floor, which houses activities characterized by a close relationship with the public, is expanded on the series of “theme gardens“ of the Piazza which create a green filter between the building and the city.
The outcome is a project that alludes to Turin’s historic architecture but takes a contemporary approach, paying attention to current endurance and respect for the environment (the building has obtained the LEED Platinum certification).
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