PRAX

PRAX Studio has produced a concept masterplan for the adaptive re-use of an ageing commercial campus in Parma, Italy. The design response is driven by the idea of “re-wilding” the existing central carpark space, transforming it into a vibrant landscaped open space that acts as a connective tissue between the various surrounding functional spaces. Able to host formal and informal gatherings and encouraging open engagement with the local community, the landscape lifts up and over the service and back of house spaces at the rear of the site, offering visitors the opportunity to access the multiple public-facing functions such as auditorium and event space via an accessible, open landscaped journey.

The central space is partly enclosed by a dramatic engineered timber pergola that evokes the familiar sense of dappled light and shade of a tree canopy while also providing enough area for photovoltaic panels to deliver the site’s entire energy requirements. This canopy runs the full length of the site, connecting the arrival porte cochere at its north end and terminating at its south end where the timber structures form an iconic lantern on the hillside, visible from the adjacent intercity rail corridor and city centre beyond.