tissellistudioarchitetti

WHERE
The building is situated on the outskirts of the city of Forlì, within an industrial zone that the town planning authorities have located on the edge of the ancient Roman centuriation. The site is located in close proximity to the motorway exit and just a few kilometres from the old town centre, a highly strategic point but one which is devoid of architectural language: the landscape is dominated only by a monotonous parade of prefabricated warehouses.
PLAN
Therefore, the project was to be inserted into surroundings that offered neither ideas nor constraints, other than those related to the rigid and mandatory functional brief presented by the cooperative, which can be summarised in three points:
• The building had to ensure maximum flexibility in the configuration of office spaces while avoiding an open-plan formula and guaranteeing exclusive work spaces for 1 or 2 people;
• Each of the six departments into which the company is divided had to be housed on a single level;
• The project had to include a 200-seat assembly hall and cafeteria space that could be converted into office space if required.
From the outset, therefore, a conscious decision was made to avoid focusing too heavily on structural form per se in the initial designs, but rather to let the building reveal itself by adapting its lines to the functional and logistical needs imposed. The form that can be appreciated today is the result of a creative process that paradoxically absorbs the rationality and pragmatism of the cooperative, making the headquarters itself the primary representation of the company’s scientific rigour.
EXTERNAL PROJECT
The Sidera building extends horizontally for a length of 100 metres and has a height of 33 metres, starting from a soil plinth that is approximately 3 metres high. The external surface features only three materials: aluminium (six kilometres of vertical fins), black pigmented concrete and glass (about 5000 square metres of glazing on the façade).
The natural aluminium used for the cladding sheets plays the leading role as it elegantly reflects the natural light, taking on different nuances of tone and colour at different times of the day and depending on the weather conditions. This, combined with the rapid rhythm created by the placement of the sunshade fins, creates a pleasant optical illusion as one moves around the Sidera building, whereby the building appears as either an opaque or transparent block, depending on the position from which it is viewed.
The concept of the envelope of the building does not refer only to the exterior façades, but also includes the roof, which was immediately interpreted as a kind of fifth elevation, since we are aware of the fact that with the rise of contemporary navigation tools, such as Google Earth, we are now all accustomed to looking at and perceiving spaces from above. This awareness translates into the need to also include defining architectural features for this viewpoint. The vernacular motif of the pitched roof was selected for this purpose, which, in itself, is unprecedented in such an industrial context. Six sloping pitches are scattered across the space exploiting the three large skylights as connection points, in the quest to create a dialogue with the skyline of the nearby Apennines.

INTERIOR DESIGN AND NEURO-ARCHITECTURE
The study and design of the interior space was approached as an essential component in and of itself, and thus, not viewed as a parallel project but something integral and necessary for the development of the building as a whole. Indeed, the intention was clear from the very first steps, not to entrust the representativeness of the project to the exterior envelope of the building alone, but to ensure it was the skin of a more complex organism, expressed in a continuous progression of stimuli, and we were fortified by the conviction that the intelligence and creativity of those who work and produce are nourished in their endeavours by the curiosity and complexity of the building rather than the banality of a sterile and shapeless space.
The precepts of neuro-architecture have guided most of the design choices, which focused on finding the ideal working space. Thus, external factors, such as light, air, sounds and visuals, enter the building in the form of calibrated and controlled architectural components and not merely as necessary occurrences.
The glass skin covering the Sidera building controls the inflow of natural light that floods every workspace; the light fixtures follow the 24-hour circadian rhythm; the technology employed for ventilation control and the total absence of operable windows ensure the indoor air is clean and healthy despite being in one of the most polluted areas in Europe; from every interior space and from any level it is possible to look out on the view of greenery outside.
All these factors, combined with the obsessive control of sound insulation, guarantee working conditions that foster high levels of psychological well-being, which inevitably translates into a higher quality of work from employees.
No colour has been added beyond the natural pigmentation of the materials, so much so that the photograph of the building appears desaturated: an inverted form of highlighting that emphasises the building’s rank as the company’s headquarters.
Wood, aluminium and concrete proudly express their natural state, and this ethos also applies to the many items of bespoke furniture made from Corian. The sobriety of the building in this sense reflects the seriousness and pragmatism of the company.
Between shard-like shapes and diagonal slashes, the large internal staircases act as a element of disruption for the entire layout, starting from the fact that is it the only space from which the full internal height of the Sidera building can be enjoyed in all its glory. The hypertrophic and sinuous lines play with contrast, drawing the visitor towards itself like a disruptive centripetal force. The ribbon created by the parapet of the staircase worms and winds its way upward, like a living organism whose branches are attracted by the sunlight that penetrates through the large skylight. Large landings are home to comfortable seating, which is present here as in all the circulation paths, creating small squares/meeting points that invite people to stop and interact with each other, thereby fostering a sense of community within the office. Social moments among employees are thus encouraged, strengthened by the belief that the sharing of ideas and the creation of positive relationships are fundamental factors in ensuring general well-being, which is the cornerstone of productivity.

People themselves thus become a component part of the project, the key required to activate a machine that is full of cogs and gears; and when the machine is allowed to run, it generates a stimulating narrative, full of surprises, constantly searching for reactions.
The Sidera building is a living, creative organism that denies the rigid logic of orthogonality and avoids all static constraints or obligations to monumental and banal symmetry. The entrance, the circulation spaces, the assembly hall and the top floor are all arranged in an interplay of alternating spatial compressions between the walls and ceilings and the sloping and faceted surfaces.
CONTEXT
In a context that is devoid of identity and architectural value, the Sidera building has been conceived to be a new element to add to its surroundings, like a sort of gift, a form of reparation to an area lacking in quality but one which can evidently become a better area, for the benefit of anyone who comes to make use of it (in particular, the employees of the cooperative). Even the decision to surround the headquarters with 300 trees and 22,000 plants is a response to the desire to neutralise the context in which it is built.
In the design of the headquarters, there is no formalism, nor individualism but, at its core, there is a strong sense of reality, a strong intention to interpret needs, to understand and translate into the building the transformations that mankind inevitably goes through, without ever losing sight of the centrality of relationships and of what being a human and an individual means in the present day, which keeps us increasingly distant from each other and from the environment that surrounds us.

The aim of the project was to revitalize a dismissed industrial area with a residential building. The challenge was to work within the parameters of good design and a low budget to provide the city with quality architecture while respecting the commercial space requirements of the client.
The resulting project provides a substantial architectural impact with respect to the smaller buildings of the area that are characterized by a broad range of building styles. The decision to use a traditional structure allowed the architects to focus their design energy on the details and the finances on finishing material, which afforded the pursuit of innovative design.
The complex characteristics of the site required a comprehensive and functional solution, taking into account the slope of the lot. The resulting building is composed of superimposed layers, developed longitudinally.
Each ‘layer’ has a specific designated use: the first level is reserved for parking, the second level contains more parking in addition to outside living space, and the remaining levels are dedicated to the 28 residential units. A system of ramps and pedestrian walkways unifies the structure and provides pedestrian and vehicular access to all levels.
The elevation integrates with the surrounding area while maintaining a strong architectural identity. Wide balconies run the entire length of the building to emphasize the horizontal progression of the structure while providing access to the rear residential units. As a play on depth, two bands enclose the structure in a unique graphic gesture, providing order to an otherwise fragmentary façade and serving as the identifying symbol of the building.

The flat is located in the heart of Cesena's historical centre (Italy), a privileged position which allows the visual contemplation of an outstanding urban and natural landscape.
The former abandonment and state of degradation of the house, accompanied by interior fragmentation and claustrophobic organization, neutralized the potential of the place.
The non-structural partitions were demolished to permit an overall reduction of rooms that achieves increased size, comfort and fluidity in sequence. Redefinition of the external openings intensified natural ventilation and sunlight entering the apartment, as they invariably face either towards the courtyard or to the terraces present on two levels.
On entrance level you find the kitchen/dining room, the living room and a guest bathroom. The recuperated and refurbished staircase leads to the upper level bedroom, private bathroom and technical room which complete the program required by the client.
The decisive reduction of doors and corridors allows the place to benefit from a natural succession of spaces – this was made possible by the existing house morphology. The installed chevron-patterned teak floor, together with the white shade of the walls and ceilings, homogenize the lower and upper level, providing continuity. The terraces themselves are also covered in teak, albeit in a more linear pattern due to treatments necessary for external use. The decks thus become a privileged extension of the interior space.
The succession of the various environments gives life to a sequence of three elements: the golden yellow of the tinted mirrors and the brushed brass handrail, the pure white of the walls and furniture, and the natural wooden floor. It is this narrative rather than any other design choice that gives consistency to the intervention, just as “Ariadne's thread” unravels throughout the itinerary to mark and highlight the changes brought about by the renovation.
This intertwine of the three is expressed at its full potential in the kitchen. Not renouncing the well trusted arrangement for optimizing work space (peninsula with sink, stove and cabinets to the back), the project aims for an extreme composition. The “living wall” architecture, a composition of opening doors and sliding elements that shelters cabinets, shelves and appliances accurately responds to the typical kitchen functions by utilizing the available volume. Nothing is left to chance. What strikes you upon entering the kitchen is the rigor of the achieved order, softened by the sinuous qualities of bamboo, which becomes the protagonist in the composition. The tranquil succession of small white cylinders stands out next to the golden mirrors and surfaces that surround it and duplicate its presence. The tonality and geometry of the counter, the table and the lighting fixtures quietly participate in the synthesis complementing the strong presence of the bamboo cabinet system.
The never banal use of furnishment starts considering it not as the sum of added objects, which simply might occupy space kept free. On the contrary, if we consider it as a complementary component of the architectural design, which presuppose a certain permanence in time and requires a project brought to the detail, its potentialities unexpectedly amplify.
Under this point of view the furniture which concludes the main rooms was viewed as independent but integrated in the space and each of the piece unequivocally different even if related to the others. Their collocation at the “extremes” underline the
single exceptions, a subtended mutual autonomy and the need for the punctual experimentation.
In all of the cases the texture, material, light, colour, and opening system are the principal component explored along the design phase.
The exposed surface, a steady background in the kitchen and in the living room, a more articulated envelope in the bedroom, reveals in its opening and decomposition secret rooms, spaces not-perceivable in advance, varying depths depending on the needs and constraints. The shutters rotate, slide, overlap according to the specific situation.
The external treatment adopted for all of the elements, entirely made in wooden structure, expresses the many possibilities offered by the same material when it goes trough different operations: in the kitchen wardrobe, cylinders of varying diameter made of lacquered wood are joined together following the panels module; in the living room is the same floor to bend on the vertical surface of the shutters, whereas in the bedroom is just the base for the wide white panels carved in a continuous lacquered fluting, a real counter-form of the dowels used in the kitchen.

The flat is located in the heart of Cesena's historical centre (Italy), a privileged position which allows the visual contemplation of an outstanding urban and natural landscape.
The former abandonment and state of degradation of the house, accompanied by interior fragmentation and claustrophobic organization, neutralized the potential of the place.
The non-structural partitions were demolished to permit an overall reduction of rooms that achieves increased size, comfort and fluidity in sequence. Redefinition of the external openings intensified natural ventilation and sunlight entering the apartment, as they invariably face either towards the courtyard or to the terraces present on two levels.
On entrance level you find the kitchen/dining room, the living room and a guest bathroom. The recuperated and refurbished staircase leads to the upper level bedroom, private bathroom and technical room which complete the program required by the client.
The decisive reduction of doors and corridors allows the place to benefit from a natural succession of spaces – this was made possible by the existing house morphology. The installed chevron-patterned teak floor, together with the white shade of the walls and ceilings, homogenize the lower and upper level, providing continuity. The terraces themselves are also covered in teak, albeit in a more linear pattern due to treatments necessary for external use. The decks thus become a privileged extension of the interior space.
The succession of the various environments gives life to a sequence of three elements: the golden yellow of the tinted mirrors and the brushed brass handrail, the pure white of the walls and furniture, and the natural wooden floor. It is this narrative rather than any other design choice that gives consistency to the intervention, just as “Ariadne's thread” unravels throughout the itinerary to mark and highlight the changes brought about by the renovation.
This intertwine of the three is expressed at its full potential in the kitchen. Not renouncing the well trusted arrangement for optimizing work space (peninsula with sink, stove and cabinets to the back), the project aims for an extreme composition. The “living wall” architecture, a composition of opening doors and sliding elements that shelters cabinets, shelves and appliances accurately responds to the typical kitchen functions by utilizing the available volume. Nothing is left to chance. What strikes you upon entering the kitchen is the rigor of the achieved order, softened by the sinuous qualities of bamboo, which becomes the protagonist in the composition. The tranquil succession of small white cylinders stands out next to the golden mirrors and surfaces that surround it and duplicate its presence. The tonality and geometry of the counter, the table and the lighting fixtures quietly participate in the synthesis complementing the strong presence of the bamboo cabinet system.
The never banal use of furnishment starts considering it not as the sum of added objects, which simply might occupy space kept free. On the contrary, if we consider it as a complementary component of the architectural design, which presuppose a certain permanence in time and requires a project brought to the detail, its potentialities unexpectedly amplify.
Under this point of view the furniture which concludes the main rooms was viewed as independent but integrated in the space and each of the piece unequivocally different even if related to the others. Their collocation at the “extremes” underline the
single exceptions, a subtended mutual autonomy and the need for the punctual experimentation.
In all of the cases the texture, material, light, colour, and opening system are the principal component explored along the design phase.
The exposed surface, a steady background in the kitchen and in the living room, a more articulated envelope in the bedroom, reveals in its opening and decomposition secret rooms, spaces not-perceivable in advance, varying depths depending on the needs and constraints. The shutters rotate, slide, overlap according to the specific situation.
The external treatment adopted for all of the elements, entirely made in wooden structure, expresses the many possibilities offered by the same material when it goes trough different operations: in the kitchen wardrobe, cylinders of varying diameter made of lacquered wood are joined together following the panels module; in the living room is the same floor to bend on the vertical surface of the shutters, whereas in the bedroom is just the base for the wide white panels carved in a continuous lacquered fluting, a real counter-form of the dowels used in the kitchen.

The flat is located in the heart of Cesena's historical centre (Italy), a privileged position which allows the visual contemplation of an outstanding urban and natural landscape.
The former abandonment and state of degradation of the house, accompanied by interior fragmentation and claustrophobic organization, neutralized the potential of the place.
The non-structural partitions were demolished to permit an overall reduction of rooms that achieves increased size, comfort and fluidity in sequence. Redefinition of the external openings intensified natural ventilation and sunlight entering the apartment, as they invariably face either towards the courtyard or to the terraces present on two levels.
On entrance level you find the kitchen/dining room, the living room and a guest bathroom. The recuperated and refurbished staircase leads to the upper level bedroom, private bathroom and technical room which complete the program required by the client.
The decisive reduction of doors and corridors allows the place to benefit from a natural succession of spaces – this was made possible by the existing house morphology. The installed chevron-patterned teak floor, together with the white shade of the walls and ceilings, homogenize the lower and upper level, providing continuity. The terraces themselves are also covered in teak, albeit in a more linear pattern due to treatments necessary for external use. The decks thus become a privileged extension of the interior space.
The succession of the various environments gives life to a sequence of three elements: the golden yellow of the tinted mirrors and the brushed brass handrail, the pure white of the walls and furniture, and the natural wooden floor. It is this narrative rather than any other design choice that gives consistency to the intervention, just as “Ariadne's thread” unravels throughout the itinerary to mark and highlight the changes brought about by the renovation.
This intertwine of the three is expressed at its full potential in the kitchen. Not renouncing the well trusted arrangement for optimizing work space (peninsula with sink, stove and cabinets to the back), the project aims for an extreme composition. The “living wall” architecture, a composition of opening doors and sliding elements that shelters cabinets, shelves and appliances accurately responds to the typical kitchen functions by utilizing the available volume. Nothing is left to chance. What strikes you upon entering the kitchen is the rigor of the achieved order, softened by the sinuous qualities of bamboo, which becomes the protagonist in the composition. The tranquil succession of small white cylinders stands out next to the golden mirrors and surfaces that surround it and duplicate its presence. The tonality and geometry of the counter, the table and the lighting fixtures quietly participate in the synthesis complementing the strong presence of the bamboo cabinet system.
The never banal use of furnishment starts considering it not as the sum of added objects, which simply might occupy space kept free. On the contrary, if we consider it as a complementary component of the architectural design, which presuppose a certain permanence in time and requires a project brought to the detail, its potentialities unexpectedly amplify.
Under this point of view the furniture which concludes the main rooms was viewed as independent but integrated in the space and each of the piece unequivocally different even if related to the others. Their collocation at the “extremes” underline the
single exceptions, a subtended mutual autonomy and the need for the punctual experimentation.
In all of the cases the texture, material, light, colour, and opening system are the principal component explored along the design phase.
The exposed surface, a steady background in the kitchen and in the living room, a more articulated envelope in the bedroom, reveals in its opening and decomposition secret rooms, spaces not-perceivable in advance, varying depths depending on the needs and constraints. The shutters rotate, slide, overlap according to the specific situation.
The external treatment adopted for all of the elements, entirely made in wooden structure, expresses the many possibilities offered by the same material when it goes trough different operations: in the kitchen wardrobe, cylinders of varying diameter made of lacquered wood are joined together following the panels module; in the living room is the same floor to bend on the vertical surface of the shutters, whereas in the bedroom is just the base for the wide white panels carved in a continuous lacquered fluting, a real counter-form of the dowels used in the kitchen.

The aim of the project was to revitalize a dismissed industrial area with a residential building. The challenge was to work within the parameters of good design and a low budget to provide the city with quality architecture while respecting the commercial space requirements of the client.
The resulting project provides a substantial architectural impact with respect to the smaller buildings of the area that are characterized by a broad range of building styles. The decision to use a traditional structure allowed the architects to focus their design energy on the details and the finances on finishing material, which afforded the pursuit of innovative design.
The complex characteristics of the site required a comprehensive and functional solution, taking into account the slope of the lot. The resulting building is composed of superimposed layers, developed longitudinally.
Each ‘layer’ has a specific designated use: the first level is reserved for parking, the second level contains more parking in addition to outside living space, and the remaining levels are dedicated to the 28 residential units. A system of ramps and pedestrian walkways unifies the structure and provides pedestrian and vehicular access to all levels.
The elevation integrates with the surrounding area while maintaining a strong architectural identity. Wide balconies run the entire length of the building to emphasize the horizontal progression of the structure while providing access to the rear residential units. As a play on depth, two bands enclose the structure in a unique graphic gesture, providing order to an otherwise fragmentary façade and serving as the identifying symbol of the building.

The aim of the project was to revitalize a dismissed industrial area with a residential building. The challenge was to work within the parameters of good design and a low budget to provide the city with quality architecture while respecting the commercial space requirements of the client.
The resulting project provides a substantial architectural impact with respect to the smaller buildings of the area that are characterized by a broad range of building styles. The decision to use a traditional structure allowed the architects to focus their design energy on the details and the finances on finishing material, which afforded the pursuit of innovative design.
The complex characteristics of the site required a comprehensive and functional solution, taking into account the slope of the lot. The resulting building is composed of superimposed layers, developed longitudinally.
Each ‘layer’ has a specific designated use: the first level is reserved for parking, the second level contains more parking in addition to outside living space, and the remaining levels are dedicated to the 28 residential units. A system of ramps and pedestrian walkways unifies the structure and provides pedestrian and vehicular access to all levels.
The elevation integrates with the surrounding area while maintaining a strong architectural identity. Wide balconies run the entire length of the building to emphasize the horizontal progression of the structure while providing access to the rear residential units. As a play on depth, two bands enclose the structure in a unique graphic gesture, providing order to an otherwise fragmentary façade and serving as the identifying symbol of the building.

The project included the realization of a residential building inside an unbuilt lot, unreached by public services (like roads, illumination, sewages, etc…) There is an area of considerable dimensions to manage; inside this area it has been necessary to organize, with the help of the Public Administration, the whole public works system that would service the building: the access road to the building races along two sides of the perimeter of the lot, conducting the cars to the area predisposed to open parking lot, and an ample green zone faces the residences. The building has an underground parking lot and develops out from ground level onto three levels of eight apartments, fairly divided on the first two floors and one apartment with garret.

Beyond the function of the building, the project is focused on bringing the architectural quality and refuse to recognize the reassuring and anonymous form of the surrounding buildings.
The classical and consolidate residential functions of the apartments can be found in its ‘box’ like volume. Through design research, it “comes to life”, especially when rotating its most representative face with an axe parallel to the ground.

Cleanliness and compactness of the prospects are the aims always pursued and happily reached through the use of a simple and direct language. It is particularly evident in the formulation of the principal prospects: ample balconies extend themselves along the front whole length. However, a single graphic sign coordinates the complexity of the openings' elevation, synthesizing the individual elements into a unique dominant motif.

The aim of the project was to revitalize a dismissed industrial area with a residential building. The challenge was to work within the parameters of good design and a low budget to provide the city with quality architecture while respecting the commercial space requirements of the client.
The resulting project provides a substantial architectural impact with respect to the smaller buildings of the area that are characterized by a broad range of building styles. The decision to use a traditional structure allowed the architects to focus their design energy on the details and the finances on finishing material, which afforded the pursuit of innovative design.
The complex characteristics of the site required a comprehensive and functional solution, taking into account the slope of the lot. The resulting building is composed of superimposed layers, developed longitudinally.
Each ‘layer’ has a specific designated use: the first level is reserved for parking, the second level contains more parking in addition to outside living space, and the remaining levels are dedicated to the 28 residential units. A system of ramps and pedestrian walkways unifies the structure and provides pedestrian and vehicular access to all levels.
The elevation integrates with the surrounding area while maintaining a strong architectural identity. Wide balconies run the entire length of the building to emphasize the horizontal progression of the structure while providing access to the rear residential units. As a play on depth, two bands enclose the structure in a unique graphic gesture, providing order to an otherwise fragmentary façade and serving as the identifying symbol of the building.