The idea
The act of “mending”
The work on the Bonardi campus was based on Renzo Piano’s concept of “mending”, in line with several clear principles: to tackle the deterioration of historical buildings - notably the Trifoglio and the Nave, designed by Gio Ponti; to build three new non-invasive structures featuring large windows and capable of blending in with other existing structures; and to create a uniform context bringing the various parts together in a harmonious manner and putting the green and communal areas centre stage.
This is how the new Architecture campus was formed, integrating both history and modernity as part of a new narrative, and introducing new trees (as many as 127), green flowerbeds, two large terraces and equipped study areas. The lowered floor is presented as the true "ground floor", the fulcrum of the area, the distribution plane and the feature capable of connecting the buildings with the open space of the city, and the ideal projection and functional addition of the patio of the central building designed by Vittoriano Viganò.
