Type of work
preliminary project, Project
Building type
morgue
Use
services
City
Ferrara
Country
Italy
Year
2012
Client
Town of Ferrara
Plot area
9472 m²
Floor area
4495 m²
Floor plan
3255 m²
Cubic volume
13980 m³
The project idea was born from a careful and sensitive analysis of the already existing and its comparison with the context and the historical project. We follow two lead lines: on one hand the enhancement of historical presences (well and facades) and on the other the references of the type/function of the project and their historical (Villanovan culture’s tombe a pozzetto) and emotional (prevalence of mythopoetic elements: Light, Matter and Nature) background. From all these interconnected considerations, the concept of well was born: WELL as a connecting element between two opposite but complementary elements of the same “one” (death-life, indoor-outdoor, contemporary-history …). By gemmation the well element, in different sizes and functions (connective, air, light, green), creates, around the historical well, the building, as an hypogeum space, thus leaving the lot surface to public parks and opens it to new urban perspectives. The northern part of the underground structure is independent and dedicated to the mortuary and the cult of the dead; here, filtered by wells, the light gives substance to space by defining tactile and monolithic volumes. With independent access, the southern part is used, as morgue and, as administration/services; here, through large green wells, the light enters and spreads all over the room, expanding the space, with passer-through perspective and visual effects, thanks to different translucent/reflective surfaces made in Active material. Rainwater recovery, photovoltaic, photocatalytic materials, geothermal heating, natural thermal insulation, architectural flexibility achieve a high quality standard and eco-friendly project.