A focus on human beings and their habitat

A DUE, a company specialising in beverage processing technology located close to Parma in northern Italy, is one of the centres of excellence for which the country is renowned and admired the world over. In 2017, the company decided to leave its historic site and build a new and more modern facility in an ecologically equipped industrial area near the town of Collecchio. The new headquarters was expected to be more efficient and more closely aligned with the company’s values, strengthening the links between the workforce and the company’s local roots. “The top priority of the project was to redefine a working environment that would create meaningful visual links with the surrounding countryside and vibrant internal spatial relationships while retaining the utmost clarity and fluidity of the physical and perceptual routes,” explain the architects Iotti+Pavarani. With a total works area of 15,000 square metres, including 1,500 sqm of offices, 2,500 sqm of production premises and 7,000 sqm of green areas, the resultant complex blends in with the still intact agricultural surroundings without attempting to conceal its industrial nature. The principal volumes stand out for their sober composition and formal rigour. The two-level office building is clearly visible as a white rectangular parallelepiped standing on a darker base, although its visual impact is mitigated by the extensive views of the surrounding landscape. The ground floor houses the technical design and after-sales service departments, while an open staircase leads to the first floor where the executive, administrative and sales offices are located. The external façades, clad in white press-formed sheet metal, generate optical effects that vary with the changing light conditions. The production building, a single 2,400 square metre prefabricated volume with three structural axes, has a dark-coloured external envelope to reduce its visual impact. The prefabricated concrete panels display vertical incisions that echo the sheet metal texture of the office building. The need for brightly lit offices led the architects to choose 120×60 cm ceramic tiles from Monocibec’s District Grey series for the flooring. Their large size, pale but warm colour and butt-jointed installation in an open-plan office layout further enhance the sense of space. District Grey, chosen in the straight rib version with riser, was also used for the stairs. For the service areas, the architects opted for Casalgrande Padana’s Architecture Dark Grey porcelain tile series in a 30×60 cm size and an elegant colour palette; the Granito 1 series in the colour Arkansas and size 20×20 cm for its exceptional qualities of strength and durability; and the Caleidoscopio series in the colour Ghiaccio and size 20×20 cm for its flexibility of use. All design choices were based on principles of environmental sustainability. The building is equipped with selective, low-emission glass with integrated screening and acoustic insulation properties; reflective roofing to improve thermal insulation; and an integrated photovoltaic system and high-efficiency heat pumps. Natural light reaches all the interiors through the strip windows. The production areas are also well lit thanks to the shed roof with north-facing glazed surfaces.