The new Bonfiglioli Headquarters, located in the outskirts of Bologna, Italy, arises from the need to create an efficient and functional office building that expresses the professionalism, innovation, and proud history of the Italian company. The new headquarters is a recognizable landmark that both rises above and integrates itself with the surroundings. The courtyard has a green garden on the ground floor and creates natural ventilation (cross ventilation with chimney effect). As a reaction to the local sunlight conditions, by sloping the building’s roof, the North facing façade is enlarged to maximize the workspaces with indirect natural light conditions. At the same time, this reduces the South facing façade, which improves internal comfort. It is almost
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a celebration of the indirect north light expressed by the geometry of the building. South facing façades and roof of the headquarter feature a second skin made of a continuous pleaded custom-made aluminum mesh, which filters the harsh light to obtain a comfortable interior work environment. To future proof, the building allows total internal flexibility and column-free spaces by bringing the load-bearing structure out onto the façade. The load-bearing structure is expressed as a steel exoskeleton, highlighting its technical and industrial character while accentuating its verticality. This envelope becomes then the roof, which is almost a fifth façade. The Bonfiglioli Headquarters is an exemplary project in terms of sustainability and environmental design.
