The Sidera project, headquarters of the CIA Conad, created by the tissellistudioarchitetti studio, stands on the edge of the city of Forlì, in a production area without a defined architectural language.
Located near the motorway toll booth and not far from the historic centre, the site is characterized by a landscape dominated by monotonous prefabricated warehouses. This apparently anonymous and clueless context represented both a challenge and an opportunity for the architects, who had to respond to a rigid and detailed functional program presented by the client cooperative.
A Functional Project
The Sidera was designed to guarantee maximum flexibility in the configuration of the offices, avoiding the open space layout and ensuring exclusive work spaces for one or two people. Each company department is distributed on a single level, and the building includes a 200-seat meeting room and a canteen that can be converted into office space. These functional requirements guided the design, favoring practicality and efficiency over formal research. The result is a building that reflects the scientific rigor of the client company, an example of how rationality can become a design element.
The Exterior: a changing shell that communicates with the light
The building extends horizontally for 100 meters, 33 meters high, emerging from the ground on a 3 meter base. Only three materials characterize the external surface: aluminium, black pigmented concrete and glass. Aluminium, the undisputed protagonist, reflects natural light, taking on changing shades throughout the day and depending on the weather conditions. The vertical sunshade fins, arranged in a tight rhythm, create a play of solids and voids, giving the building an ever-changing and ever-changing appearance.
The roof also plays a fundamental role, not only as a shelter but as a true fifth elevation. The six inclined pitches, surmounted by three large skylights, interact with the skyline of the Apennines, giving the building a unique and recognizable identity.
The Interior: Neuroarchitecture and Wellbeing
The interiors of Sidera were designed integrating the principles of Neuroarchitecture, aimed at creating the ideal working space. Natural light is controlled and distributed through a glass skin, while the light bodies follow the 24-hour circadian rhythm. Ventilation is managed with advanced technologies to guarantee clean and healthy air, and every internal space offers views of the greenery outside. The obsessive acoustic insulation and the use of natural materials such as wood, aluminum and concrete, together with custom-made Corian furnishings, create a work environment that promotes psychophysical well-being and, consequently, productivity.
A Social and Community Project
The large internal staircases and galleries are designed to encourage sociability and interaction between employees. Meeting areas along distribution routes act as small meeting points, promoting the sharing of ideas and the creation of positive relationships. The building itself becomes a living organism, denying the rigidity of orthogonality and banal symmetries, and offering a dynamic and stimulating spatial experience.
A New Paradigm for the Territory
In a context devoid of architectural identity, the Sidera presents itself as a positive contribution, compensation to a territory that can become better. The choice to surround the building with 300 trees and 22.000 plants is a strong signal of the desire to improve the surrounding environment. There is no formalism or individualism in the project, but a deep understanding of human needs and social transformations.
tissellistudioarchitetti: a small studio with a big vision
Behind the creation of the Sidera is tissellistudioarchitetti, a studio founded in 1998 by the architect Filippo Tisselli, who was joined in 2001 by the architect Cinzia Mondello. Over the years, the studio has created projects of various kinds, from residential construction to the tertiary sector, from interior architecture to design. Their strength lies in the ability to interpret the needs of the territory, combining them with a constant search for innovative language, technologies and materials. The Sidera represents the culmination of this journey, a work that demonstrates how great architecture can arise even from a small studio, animated by passion and dedication.
project info
Project name: Sidera (CIA Conad headquarters)
Architecture Office: tissellistudioarchitetti
Website: https://tissellistudio.com/
Location: Forlì
Builder: CMB
Engineering: aei projects – Gabriele Casadio
acoustic design: Andrea Farnetani
