The Casa della musica in Pieve di Cento by Mario Cucinella is an example of sustainable reconstruction in the areas of Emilia Romagna affected by the 2012 earthquake. To resume life as before — and even better.
The Casa della musica in Pieve di Cento, in the province of Bologna, was inaugurated at the end of May and forms part of the public works within the reconstruction plan for the provinces of Emilia Romagna affected by the 2012 earthquake. The project was developed by the architecture studio of Mario Cucinella with the contribution of six young local professionals. Sustainability, seismic safety and environmental resilience are the cornerstones of the project, with the aim of rebuilding better than before.
Through the solidarity fund activated just a few months after the earthquake, and thanks to the generosity of Italian workers and businesses, more than seven million euros were raised for the reconstruction plan in Emilia Romagna. With these funds, five public works were built in the affected provinces: the Casa della musica in Pieve di Cento (Bologna), a sports and cultural centre in Bondeno (Ferrara), a dance school in Reggiolo (Reggio Emilia), a recreational centre in Quistello (Mantova) and a social and healthcare centre in San Felice sul Panaro (Modena). These works demonstrate that the strength of a community expresses itself also through the architecture of new facilities serving its citizens — facilities that are essential for community life and activities to resume as before, and even better.
The authors of the Casa della musica project are Mario Cucinella architects — the project was coordinated by Marco Dell'Agli — and six young local professionals, architects and engineers under 30 selected from more than 160 applications. The young professionals were involved in the Workshop ricostruzione, a workshop on the theme of "Costruire per ricostruire" in which Federico La Piccirella, Arianna Balboni, Francesco Galli, Valentino Gareri, Mirco Bianchini and Clelia Zappalà designed the public works. The same team is also behind the dance school in Reggiolo, which will open shortly.
Pieve di Cento has a deep-rooted musical tradition, an element that inspired the project. The Casa della musica sits within the former Lamborghini area, which, following a remediation effort carried out in collaboration with the local authority, was restored and transformed into a landscaped park. The building has a floor area of 500 square metres and is made up of nine autonomous elements, akin to the "instruments" of a larger orchestra — namely, the city itself. The internal and external cladding in oak wood also echoes this theme and, like the soundboards of musical instruments, allows sounds to be contained and amplified.
The nine circular music studios are connected by a square that serves both as a central hub and as a place for sharing and dialogue among young musicians, where ensemble rehearsals also take place. Lit up at night, the Casa della musica becomes a focal point of the city — a kind of lantern that metaphorically offers comfort to residents and encourages the resumption of recreational activities following the earthquake.
The Casa has a load-bearing masonry structure that is effective both from a thermal and an acoustic insulation standpoint. The ventilated façade cladding consists of curved oak slats and guarantees excellent energy performance, while also lending the building a high degree of aesthetic quality. Particular care was taken with the acoustics of the internal spaces to reduce sound reverberation. An independent mechanical system for each room ensures flexible use of the spaces and reduced energy consumption.
"In the tragedy affecting these lands and those of central Italy struck by seismic events, we architects owe these communities our every creative effort," says Cucinella. "We must imagine that from this great suffering we will rebuild better, with greater care, without compromise on seismic safety and environmental safety. Quality architecture promotes important values such as beauty, design, ecology, environmental quality, innovation and sustainability, and helps to add value to the territory by creating a new empathy with the landscape. Beauty is contagious."
Like the Casa della musica in Pieve di Cento, the dance school in Reggiolo project was also developed within the framework of the reconstruction Workshop according to the principles of environmental sustainability, with the aim of reducing the building's energy demand and optimising comfort levels in both internal and external areas. The school, which is due to be completed by the end of this year, will recall a woven wooden basket inspired by the area's traditional craftsmanship — such as the making of wicker baskets — and will be located in a border area between the urban territory and the countryside. The compact form of the building and the predominantly opaque envelope will reduce heat loss during the winter months, minimising reliance on mechanical heating systems.