peter pichler maximizes indirect north light with sloping roof for bonfiglioli HQ in italy

peter pichler architecture and ARUP reveal their winning competition proposal for a new office headquarters outside bologna, italy. the project has been developed for bonfiglioli, an italian company that specializes in the design, production and distribution of gearmotors, drive systems, planetary gearboxes and inverters. its new HQ is shaped around a large central courtyard and it’s planned as an NZEB (nearly zero energy building) with energy saving strategies such as geothermal heat pumps and radiant ceilings.

all images © peter pichler architecture

the bonfiglioli headquarters marks the final part of EVO, a large energy efficient development that’s powered by a 3 MW peak power photovoltaic plant. to relate with the existing buildings of the EVO masterplan, the peter pichler architecture team incorporates a large courtyard in the center of the volume, affording natural light and ventilation into the office spaces. the courtyard also helps establish visual connection between floor levels and provides staff with a break-out green space at the bottom. 

the other main aspect of the design is the inclined roof, which is done to maximize the number of workspaces with indirect north light. by sloping the roof, the north facing elevations are enlarged and the south facing elevations are vastly reduced. in a further step to mitigate harsh sunlight, the south facing façades and roof feature a second skin of custom-made pleated aluminum mesh. the mesh ensures a comfortable work environment while recalling the metal shavings that are produced daily as a byproduct of the company supply chain.

with regards to the program, different departments are organized across the various floor levels in accordance with their public function and with the functions present in nearby buildings. to increase connectivity between the departments and the people working in them, the largest departments are divided into two levels, internally connected with a spiral staircase through a generous double-height space.

by bringing the load-bearing structure out onto the façade, the interior spaces are column-free, meaning they can be easily adapted in the future. the load-bearing structure is expressed as a steel exoskeleton, highlighting its technical and industrial character while accentuating its verticality. this envelope then becomes the roof, which is almost a fifth façade.

with its striking geometry, peter pichler architecture and ARUP hope that the bonfiglioli headquarters becomes a recognizable landmark. the new office HQ also intends to be an exemplary project in terms of sustainability and environmental design, with future-proof spaces, attention to staff wellbeing, and energy saving strategies that achieve NZEB status.

south east facing elevation

south west facing elevation

north east facing elevation

north west facing elevation

cross section 1

cross section 2

project info:

name: bonfiglioli headquarters

location: bologna, italy

architect: peter pichler architecture

peter pichler architecture team:

PPA principals: peter pichler, silvana ordinas

PPA design team: peter pichler, ugo licciardi, niklas knap, simona alù, cem ozbasaran, giovanni paterlini, domenico calabrese, nathalia rotelli, angela ferrari, alessandro cardellini, simone valbusa

structural engineers: ARUP

MEP: ARUP

acoustics: solarraum

fire consultant: ICS ingegneria

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom