IL COSSONE OFFICE BUILDING, OSTIANO, ITALY.

DESIGN TEAM:
Calvi Rollino, Cereda, Panarese Architetti

> Adaptive reuse, biophilia, environmental architecture, genius loci, place as system, regenerative design

The project is part of a larger initiative focused on the adaptive reuse of several buildings in three different districts of Ostiano, a small town in Northern Italy. The goal is to accommodate a new industrial company that operates in the solar energy sector. The overall program, which includes the recovery of a grain warehouse and other warehouses near the town centre, aims to promote a transition from sustainable design to a regenerative design approach. This project focuses on rehabilitating an industrial area adjacent to an agricultural territory with significant landscape and naturalistic value. Specifically, the purpose is to restore and renovate two existing prefabricated warehouses to house the production plant and the temporary storage of assembled items of the new industrial company. The new office building is planned between the two existing warehouses to minimize land use. Designed as the terminus of an existing ramp, the building will be constructed on top of pre-existing underground storage tanks, which will be repurposed for rainwater collection. To preserve the site's industrial heritage, two existing canopies will be restored and repurposed, while the current ramp will offer access to the office building, providing a higher vantage point to take in the surrounding agricultural and natural landscape. The debris from the demolitions of a few damaged structures will be recycled to model the terrain for the green areas. The project incorporating water and greenery played a crucial role in enhancing the quality of both outdoor and indoor environments by creating a naturalistic oasis, blending the industrial area with the surrounding natural setting, and supporting the local avifaunal species. We designed the new office interiors to maintain visual contact with the outdoor greenery, incorporating green interior walls, plants, and an abundance of natural light, including zenith lighting, to ensure high standards of quality and well-being for indoor living. The proposed regenerative approach, which incorporates local materials, technology-supported architectural and environmental solutions, and a sensitive consideration of the natural context, demonstrates great potential for rehabilitating and developing industrial areas in environmentally sensitive contexts.