Nuovo Centro Civico In Scandicci

Located halfway between Casellina and the old town of Scandicci, the Nuovo Centro Civico is a new town centre designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and Studio DA. The project is part of a wider urban plan commissioned by the Scandicci Council in 2003 and will transform the area from a remote satellite town into a renewed city hub.

The new development at Scandicci is characterised by buildings that respect the scale of their surroundings and create a contemporary architectural language, that gives cohesion between all the diff erent typologies, whilst responding to their individual functions.

The result is a restrained architectural aesthetic that directs attention towards the setting rather than the buildings themselves.

The choice of materials was fundamental to the process of creating an ensemble of buildings. A limited palette was selected for all buildings, including natural anodized aluminium, concrete, glass, stainless steel and terracotta.

The red tone of the terracotta, framed by natural anodized aluminium and inset within visibly expressed concrete frame, creates a language that places the traditional local materials in a new, fresh setting.

The mix of buildings that have been designed as part of the project include a cultural centre, a commercial building and residences.

The cultural centre frames the eastern edge of the piazza and provides a multi-functional hall for seminars, conferences, exhibitions and concerts.

The commercial building is also fully adaptable inside and can therefore be used as open plan offi ce space or divided into smaller, cellular units. As the tallest structure in the new ensemble, it acts as a marker on the horizon, directing people to centre of the renewed Scandicci.

The tramline that connects Scandicci to the centre of Florence in a just few stops is the key element towards urban integration. Creating such transport links encourages development and growth, while simultaneously limiting the dependance on cars and discouraging suburban sprawl.

Richard Rogers says, “We hope to have marked a change and indicated a new direction for the next 20 years of development of Scandicci. I believe that we have created something truly special and I hope that the legacy of this project will continue to develop for many years to come.”

Ivan Harbour says, “A work of this magnitude is a great catalyst and already the town hall is responding to the work. Scandicci places people above all other design considerations. This should always be the aim behind a great urban regeneration project.”

Mayor of Scandicci says “Mayor Simone Gheri says, “The opening of this project marks the beginning of a new era for Scandicci. If we place ourselves in the middle of the square and appreciate the beauty of the new space and the harmony of the dimensions, we feel with real confi dence that our city has a great future.”