Last December the new ARPAE has been inaugurated in Ferrara (Italy): the building houses the new headquarters for the Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, designed by Mario Cucinella Architects.
It is a complex for offices and research laboratories that covers an area of 5,000 square meters and it is characterised by the highest standards of architectural quality with a maximum level of environmental sustainability.
The new building, made of wood, surrounds a central courtyard, that is the hub of the complex, and the roof, the so‑called “fifth facade”, is the strongest design feature of the project: 112 chimneys give to the building a strong architectural identity and, in addition, they are skylights that filter natural light, promote natural ventilation and reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
Finally, the entire building works proactively with the local microclimate and all the workspaces are open to the outside by the inclusion of green courtyards creating an alteration of soid/void, indoor/outdoor micro‑environment that break up and define the building volumes.
An innovative concept of sustainable architecture.
