Bank of Pisa and Fornacette

Near the headquarters of the bank, there is a building (ex Idealbimbo, a childcare shop) owned by the bank. The building was built with no more appropriate systems for the new parameters of contemporary building. It doesn’t offer possibility to recover, so we expected the complete demolition.

The new building as a new headquarters of the bank has a simple and compact form, it has a rectangular plan and consist of three floors above ground and a basement, for a total area of about 4.500sm.

The front side of the main entrance, overlooking via Tosco Romagnola, is aligned with the other bank building, while the back side, where are located some of the parking lots, is opened on via delle Case Vecchie.

Between the two buildings, take form a small square partly paved and partly as a garden, which gives a socializing component at urban structure.

This building strongly characterized, keeps in its design the corporate identity, it has a monolithic appearance and it is well rooted to the ground, but the main front opens outwards, with a large multicolored glass window, which at night turns into a large lamp. It is entirely covered by an iridescent metallic skin, it changes color when the light vibrates on it, it looks like a big gold ingot.

It is a bulding with requirements of energy saving, low environmental impact.

In three floors above ground it houses the headquarte and administrative offices, while the basement houses an auditorium for about 300 seats, spaces for various activities and exhibitions of the art collection of the bank. These spaces, take natural light ,on the west side, by a continuous wall of glass overlooking the recessed square.

About the floors above ground, they are crossed by two patios that becomes light bearers and partly vertical gardens.

These floors above ground, appears as open space, except for services blocks which are the only fixed elements, in fact the rest of the partitions are editable and removable because they are made by carpentry works, made of glass and wood.