DEMOGO’s headquarters for the Guardia di Finanza in Bologna, Italy, explores the nature and meaning of the boundary between building and city.
Designed by Treviso-based practice DEMOGO, the new regional headquarters for the Guardia di Finanza in Bologna, Italy, occupies a densely populated site on the edge of the city. The architect has used this marginal urban condition as an opportunity for connection with and regeneration of the surrounding area. Situated perpendicular to Via Tanari and integrated with the existing core of Bertarini Barracks, the building is conceived as a compact volume with highly articulated elevations. A series of stepped terraces correspond to the office spaces within, creating a distinctive form and a strong visual connection from inside to out.
Despite being part of a protected military complex, the architect has sought to transform the scheme’s boundary condition into a ‘third space,’ that engages with the immediate context. The south-facing façade, for example, incorporates an elevated footbridge that connects the offices to Bertarini Barracks.
On the west side of the plan, the building rises above a partition separating the barracks from the temporary urban regeneration space DumBO, which is housed in a former railway freight yard. This creates an additional visual connection between the military complex and the social life of the city, says the architect.
The modular panelised facades ‘unfold’ according to a precise composition of string courses and profiles, delineating minimal variations in relief. Dominant red tones are intended to evoke the colour palette the wider city.
Inside, an exposed concrete frame provides a tough, industrial aesthetic, as well good levels of thermal mass. Generous floor-to-ceiling windows ensure excellent daylighting and panoramic views out over the city. Articulated by a long staircase that traverses the building, the plan alternates between private spaces dedicated to the operational sections of the organisation, and areas for staff interaction. Large balconies intersect along the staircase at various levels providing informal breakout spaces.
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