danica o. kus documents BIG's expanding concrete arches at san pellegrino flagship factory

BIG’s rational architecture expanding in succession

Architectural photographer Danica O. Kus photographs the stately architectural work of Bjarke Ingels Group through the towering concrete arches harking back to Italian Classicism and Rationalism at San Pellegrino flagship factory in the heart of Bergamo, Italy. In 2017, designboom reported the success of BIG in taking over the factory design of the Italian water brand, and Kus has witnessed and captured the rational architecture expanding in succession.

The design of the new San Pellegrino Flagship Factory draws upon the hallmarks of Italian architecture from the arcade and the viale to the piazza and the portico. Culminating in a semi-installation landscape, BIG manifests an architectural environment steeped in concrete, all the while swarmed by the lush and atmospheric natural surroundings. Here, BIG immerses the visitors and San Pellegrino staff in the wonders of man and nature.

image © Danica O. Kus

Danica o. Kus captures Classicism and Rationalism

As Danica O. Kus roams around the monumental arches in queues, her lens captures the structure’s essence of simplicity laced with the mobilizing and almost timeless aura of the arch as a design feature. Bjarke Ingels Group intends for the arches to structurally expand the space and prevent the feeling of restriction. It does so by combining the modular architecture of the existing factory with the repetitive elements of Italian Classicism and Rationalism.

The San Pellegrino factory is nestled between the village of San Pellegrino Terme and the Brembo River. Before stepping inside the flagship plant, cruising on the San Pellegrino bridge already affords the visitors a view of the concrete arches where the brand’s star logo hangs to greet them. On the side of the bridge, Kus snaps at the ‘S.Pellegrino’ writing carved into the concrete as the property’s namesake. Through BIG’s design, San Pellegrino’s flagship factory extends its design identity rather than imposing a new one.

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

image © Danica O. Kus

project info:

name: San Pellegrino Flagship Factory

architectural group: Bjarke Ingels Group

partner in charge: Bjarke Ingels, Thomas Christoffersen

project leader: Jelena Vucic

project manager: Simon Scheller, Vincenzo Polsinelli

project architect: Giulio Rigoni

project team: Adi Krainer, Amro Abdelsalam, Armen Menendian, Aslan Taheri, Ava Nourbaran, Beat Schenk, Benjamin Caldwell, Benson Chien, Chris Tron, Daniel Sundlin, Danna Lei, Deb Campbell, Denys Kozak, Derek Wong, Douglass Alligood, Edda Steingrimsdottir, Elizabeth Mcdonald, Ethan Duffey, Fabian Lorenz, Francesca Portesine, Gabriella Den Elzen, Gaurav Janey, Jan Leenknegt, Jennifer Wood, Ji-Young Yoon, Jordan Felber, Josiah Poland, Julie Kaufman, Kelly Neill, Kevin Pham, Kurt Nieminen, Lawrence-Olivier Mahadoo, Lorenz Krisai, Ma Ning, Maki Matsubayashi, Margaret Tyrpa, Maria Eugenia Dominguez, Max Moriyama, Megan Ng, Megan Van Artsdalen, Melissa Jones, Molly Hsiao Rou Huang, Nicholas Reddon, Nicole Passarella, Santtu Johannes Hyvarinen, Sharon Kwan, Stephanie Hui, Stephen Kwok, Stephen Steckel, Terrence Chew, Tianqi Zhang, Tracy Sodder, Veronica Acosta, Veronica Moretti, Wells Barber, Won Ryu, Yang Yang Chen

BIG ideas: Tore Banke, Kristoffer Negendahl, Yehezkiel Wiliardy Manik

photography by: Danica O. Kus