Benetton Headquarters second site | Ivo Buda

THE WHITE PEACKOCK
Today we are called upon to dedicate our resources and capacities towards a society built upon the richness of human diversity that echoes the beauty of the unfolded plumage of the peacock.
The Peacock is representative of glory, immortality and incorruptibility. It is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics, and is a symbol of integrity and beauty.
In Babylonia and Persia the peacock is seen as a guardian of royalty.
ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
A strange perspective of the "peacock tale" made of steel diagonal elements invites the visitor to explore the building from all possible angles around it. Although its shape is very simple the building appears to have many mysteries, the corners disappears and the perception of a static volume is substituted by a dynamic grid that seems to grow and to wrap a series of transparent and translucent spaces.
The building is a flexible container for commercial, office and residential activities. Different levels are strongly connected by a system of elevators and stairs. The visitors of commercial, office and residential spaces have dedicated entrances, which are visually connected through vertical “cuts” in the building slabs. This “cuts” provides fascinating multistory commercial spaces and gives attractive views from the offices.
STRUCTURE DESCRIPTION
The structure is consisting of the "curtain" of steel diagonal elements on the perimeter, concrete stairs and lift cores, and 6 internal columns. The curtain is a three-dimensional frame with a strong horizontal strength and high capacity for vertical support loads. The presence of many stiff elements subject to cutting loads provides the dissipation of seismic energy. These elements are formed when the intersection between the diagonals are close to the slabs, which makes them eccentric with a strong horizontal strength which for seismic testing allows a high value of the coefficient of structure q. The concrete core guarantees a high stiffness of the building against wind and earthquake.
The slabs are of steel plate type hi-bond, cooperating with the concrete slab, lightened with clay expanded Rck = 300Kg/cm2 and max density 1600 kg / m3. The floor beams are of the type HEB. Diagonal elements and the columns are of box type. The steel diagonal curtains are made with hot-rolled sections of steel S355, the links are partly welded partly bolted. Although a relatively complex geometry, steel structure is achieved through standard profiles, with the nodes fully welded in the workshop, and the junction of the beams to be executed on site.
The facade consists of glass-aluminum non-ventilated curtain wall.
The partition structures of the offices consist of: 1. Warping metal made of double galvanized steel profiles. 2. On floor and ceiling will be placed horizontal guides - 'U' elements 50/75 mm; within the guide will be inserted the vertical uprights to "C" from 50/75 mm wheelbase to places not exceeding 600 mm. 3. The cover of both warping sides will consist of two plates of plaster, 12.5 mm thick. 4. Isolation: between the uprights will be inserted a mattress of 40mm as thermal isolation.