In the historic centre of Bolzano, between Piazza delle Erbe and Via dei Portici, the historic branch of the Cassa Rurale di Bolzano is housed in a four-storey corner building, a listed monument that has been reinterpreted in a historic context with a more contemporary architectural language.
The intervention strengthens the dialogue between the city and its urban rhythm, preserving the original character of the building. On the ground floor, the main entrance on Via dei Portici leads to a space designed for reception, where the counter area and the self-service banking area are organised around two front-office stations slightly raised on a platform, in direct dialogue with the back office behind. From the first to the third floor, the circulation unfolds along corridors flanked by individual and executive offices, meeting rooms and areas dedicated to Private Banking, always preceded by waiting areas that discreetly filter access.
The services are arranged laterally and an office always ends the route on each level, ensuring a clear and orderly distribution. The third floor houses the area dedicated to Ethical Banking, a space designed for sharing, intended to welcome employees and support a programme focused on ecological and social initiatives. This floor also features a custom-made wooden kitchenette, accessible to all. Transparency is the prevailing theme, with large windows allowing the gaze to extend from the corridor to the offices and meeting rooms, which are acoustically insulated and equipped with opacity-control films capable of modulating privacy by shifting from transparent to opaque. Toilet facilities are located on each floor, including those for people with disabilities on the top floor, ensuring inclusivity and comfort. The fourth and top floor opens into a flexible and bright open-plan space, designed to encourage collaboration and exchange.
The materials play a fundamental role in shaping atmosphere and identity. The wood-panelled walls create a warm and reassuring atmosphere, while the petrol blue fabrics of the furnishings introduce a deep and sophisticated note, giving identity and continuity to the interiors. Lighting becomes a narrative element: a luminous LED “snake”, with its fluid, serpentine geometry, amplifies the dynamic perception of the interior, accompanying visitors along the route. Artificial light interacts with the natural light filtering through the historic openings, marking the rhythm and defining spatial hierarchies. From the roof, an oculus in the upper slab closed by a glass panel supported by steel beams activates an unexpected vertical connection: toplighting filters down from above, intensifying the three-dimensional perception of space and transforming the circulation sequence into a luminous experience that breaks the linearity and introduces a visual pause.
The theme of geometric forms is reflected in the stone counters, designed with elegant, sculptural geometries; the same formal patterns are found in the waiting room seating, creating a coherent architectural grammar between furnishings and space. From a technical point of view, the project involved a significant overhaul of the building services, with a new compact heat pump and the renovation of the electrical and heating systems, harmoniously integrated into the existing context. Carried out in collaboration with Plattner Bau, the project has given the city a contemporary and welcoming space, where light, materials and technical precision construct a balance between memory and innovation, strengthening the urban identity of Piazza delle Erbe, deeply rooted in its local territory.
Design:
Design Team: Stefano Nicolussi, Tamara Spechtenhauser e Michael Goller
Photography: Giovanni De Sandre
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