The project originated from the need to optimize and enhance the administrative spaces at the University of Bergamo. Since the initial phases, the university expressed its intention to give the building a strong functional identity, transforming it into a landmark and reception area.
The new representative building would house all front-office activities for students, reception and information points for newcomers, as well as an auditorium. Our goal was to design a building that would create functional, morphological, and environmental connections, opening the area to the community and shaping a structure that would be representative, functional, and easily recognizable. To achieve this, we decided to replace the three existing buildings with a simpler, more rational solution, reducing the urban footprint to just two buildings.
This decision was driven by the desire to introduce new green infrastructure for both the university community and the surrounding neighborhood, while upgrading the site’s spaces. The new buildings are designed as unified, compact volumes, with Building A rising over two levels and Building B over three. These structures create an outdoor green space, featuring areas designed for socializing and gathering. All the buildings include open-plan office spaces with direct access to outdoor areas on the ground floor. An overhanging element reduces solar radiation on the interior while providing a covered walkway, enhancing user comfort.
In addition to the goals of social and morphological inclusion, we placed significant emphasis on the design of the outdoor areas, implementing environmental retrofitting measures. The green spaces were carefully planned to promote, protect, and restore natural habitats, while also mitigating the urban heat island effect through the use of high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) paving.
With this project, we aim not only to meet the operational needs of the University of Bergamo but also to create a space that fosters interaction between students, faculty, and citizens, offering modern, sustainable workspaces in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment.