This morning, July 25th at 10 am, the New Headquarters of the ASI - Agenzia Aerospaziale Italiana (Italian Space Agency) designed by Architects 5+1AA Alfonso Femia Gianluca Peluffo at Tor Vergata celebrated its “take off”. The official inauguration of the facility was attended by the Minister of Education, University and Research, Francesco Profumo, the seven Italians astronauts, the top management of ASI (Italian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA, as well as the designers themselves.
The complex, which was completed in January, covers an area of 28,600 square meters, showing a remarkable harmony between architecture and science that results in balanced shapes and colours in tension with the surrounding landscape.
The monolithic architecture is composed of pure and regular volumes with dark tones but a magnetic character. The interiors, however, define a 'Space-like' and dreamlike atmosphere through a succession of tight corridors, stairways, skylights, coloured glass and bodies of water.
The new ASI premises, while looking like a huge isolated and suspended object, will house offices, laboratories, a cafeteria, a gymnasium, an auditorium and a library, all equipped with every technological convenience.
The opening day will also see the celebration of two important anniversaries: it is twenty years since Franco Malerba became the first Italian in space, on the space shuttle Atlantis in 1992, and the it is the 50th anniversary of Italy's collaboration with NASA.
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