Green Pea

ACC Natural Architecture Cristiana Catino and Negozio Blu Architetti (Ambrosini, Gatti, Grometto), former designers of the first Eataly, conceived a symbolic architecture to give shape to the strategic vision of Green Pea: a highly sustainable building, a manifesto built with new technologies and natural materials to convey, through architecture, the idea of ​​respect for the environment and harmony with nature. Commissioned by Eataly Real Estate, Green Pea is the final step in the redevelopment of the former Carpano Lingotto industrial area, a pivotal project in the regeneration process that affects the southern area of ​​Turin. 

Resilience, eco-sustainability and materials recovery

Green Pea represents a new format of urban architecture in balance between architecture and environment, sustainability and beauty, quality and functionality. Defined by a plot of natural materials and permeated with light and green, it is a resilient and eco-sustainable building in every detail.

The organic volume, with a particular multifaceted shape, is spread over five floors for a height of 25 m in continuity with the existing building line and extending the façade of Eataly. The North-South orientation and the flared shape of the top floor are designed to adapt to climatic and environmental conditions and ensure the best distribution of solar radiation.

The external envelope consists of a double level of surfaces. An external shell of wooden sunshade slats, supported by a steel rib, forms a technical "treillage" that acts as a filter between inside and outside and allows the building to breathe, open up to the city and protect itself from the sun. The slats, heat-treated for external use and stiffened by a metal core, were made with fir wood recovered from the forests of the Trentino Val di Fiemme and Bellunese, destroyed by the storm of October 2018 and from which traditionally he obtained the wood for the soundboards of the instruments.

The internal shell, on the other hand, made up of an infill of KVH solid wood sandwich panels, insulated with wood fiber and covered in metal sheet, is separated by large cuts in the glass surfaces that flood the interior spaces with natural light. The fronts of the building define a sequence of paved and garden pedestrian spaces.

The load-bearing structure is made of steel, a 100% recyclable material, and is entirely dry mounted by means of bolts, so as to be easily disassembled and removed, allowing in the long term the extension of the life cycle: a mesh of main beams ) and secondary (IPE400) resting on tubular pillars, defines a light system, but at the same time with high resistance in which the point supports of the horizontal components are reduced to a minimum to allow greater freedom in the design and management of spaces. The structure was assembled through a construction site for vertical sectors, from the ground to the last level, optimizing construction times.

Green primary material for architecture

Vegetation is inserted through the organic texture of the wooden facades, which becomes a real building block of architecture. The green, not used in a mimetic way, develops from a system of terraces in which tall trees are planted in large tanks. The building thus appears as a natural organism that vibrates according to the light and the growth of the plants. The vegetation was selected to be suitable for the climate and microclimate of the different facades of the building, favoring native plants and Italian flora.

Different natural environments start from the base of the building and meet in the roof, the large equipped garden roof, characterized by a bioclimatic greenhouse that becomes the "fifth facade" of Green Pea.

In this part of the city, heavily industrialized during the twentieth century, green returns to play a role and to be read in the urban fabric.

A natural and mineral landscape creates a pedestrian square at the foot of the building, an agora of life and passage.

The interiors: recognizability, natural light and traditional materials

In the interiors, a simple and clear concept involves all the senses and allows a complete experience, immersed in the identity of the Green Pea brand and its values ​​of respect and conscious consumption.

The layout of the various floors creates flexible spaces, immediate recognisability of the paths and relationship with the external greenery and widely welcomes natural light. The interiors feature traditional materials such as natural lime and wood combined with luxury materials such as leather and velvets. The parquet is made with wood that has already been cut down and recovered along the river beds of the Val Varaita.

A paint was used for the painting which neutralizes pollutants, prevents the growth of mold and microbes and eliminates germs.

Geothermal, photovoltaic, wind and solar energy: renewable sources for a lower carbon footprint

From the plant engineering point of view, Green Pea offers a broad panorama of the different ways of producing energy through renewable sources: geothermal wells, photovoltaic panels, solar panels, mini wind turbines, smart flowers, up to piezoelectric floors (kinetic floor), which allow the recovery of the kinetic energy generated by the passage of users. The plants are intentionally left exposed also to recall the industrial origins of the site. The combination of these active and passive environmental strategies, aimed at achieving maximum energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, has made it possible to obtain a score of the Itaca Protocol of 3.5 by creating a NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) in class A3 . 

CREDITS OF THE PROJECT

Client: Eataly Real Estate

Architectural project: ACC Natural Architettura Cristiana Catino and Blue Shop Associated Architects

Architectural works supervision: Arch. Cristiana Catino and Arch. Carlo Grometto

Structural and geotechnical design: Ceas

Green project: ACC Naturale Architettura Cristiana Catino, Blue Shop Architetti Associati with agronomists Vigetti and Merlo agronomists

Plant design: Studio Sapi

Piazza project: Samep

Start of works: December 2018

End of works: November 2020

Gross floor area: sq.m. 10,500

Sale area: sqm. 5,500

Sales spaces: 57

Surface services, restaurant and wellness: sqm. 4,900