moroso headquarters, italy by david adjaye

david adjaye was commisioned by patrizia moroso to design the new moroso
headquarters. the project site lies on the northern outskirts of udine along the arterial
via nazionale route on the site of the office and production facilities of the renowned
furniture brand. the new office headquarters are to be located in close proximity to
the current production building, respecting the 20m setback from the main road as
stipulated by local guidelines and – if at all possible – safeguarding the row of existing
handsome trees.

looking like a translucent white cube, large cut glass will determine the lighting effect
of the new structure. the walls are also coated with an opaque film stone thin enough
for light to pass through.
 
conceived as a mixed-use project, the new building will house not only offices but
also a new company showroom and space for social gathering: library, lounge bar,
cafe and terrace.

the adoption of plant technologies, solar photovoltaic and will aim maximise energy
savings.




the site and its surroundings are characterized by a panoply of mainly low-rise commercial
and industrial buildings along the main road and one- to three-storey residential buildings
further inland. the overall area of the premises amounts to roughly 44.500 sqm with the new
office headquarters occupying the south-western and the new production building the eastern
portion. the immediate surroundings are fairly flat and in stark contrast with the 3000 meter
high alps mountain range framing views looking east- and northwards.

a small village of houses
the architectural concept they have developed is the creation of a very specific architectural
gem which responds to the site, the brief and the moroso philosophy. the project has been
organised in the manner of a small village of houses that sit on a communal base. the base
harbours the public functions of showroom and presentation room with the office spaces
nestled within the houses above. these are linked by bridges. on the top floor communal areas
such as a lounge / library / cafeteria and a large roof terrace are proposed. the articulation of
three blocks combines an intimacy of internal spaces with the benefit of visual connectivity
and excellent climate control. the positioning of the volumes, cores and cantilevers is in careful
response to the suns daily movements, minimising glare and heat impact whilst allowing
for adequate lighting conditions.

introversion
the introvert nature of the project not only reflects the sense of togetherness of the moroso
working environment, but also responds to site conditions and the issue of orientation.
this introversion is juxtaposed by maximising visual relationships with the hanging garden
and stunning mountain range to the north.

in-between outdoor spaces
as a result of the articulation of three-dimensional volumes on a base and the partial wrapping
of the overall form with the façade skin, intriguing in-between outdoor spaces become an important
focus of the project. In combination with the sun’s movement an exciting play of light and shadow
comes to the forefront, which is different every day.

volumes
the central – south-facing – volume acts as the main distributor by housing the freestanding
stair, the main void, lifts, restrooms and meeting rooms. the two other – east and west-facing
– volumes are accessed via bridges and house the offices.




circulation
the vertical circulation consists of a centrally located freestanding stair that acts as
a main connector between the ground floor and the first floor offices and three generous
enclosed stairs, which also act as escape stairs. this distribution allows short routes from
one level to the next, complemented by 2 no. lifts situated in the central volume.

garden / terraces
the boundaries between inside and outside have been blurred by introducing generous
interlocking gardens and terraces, allowing outdoor spaces to become areas of meeting,
presentation, inspiration, reflection, contemplation and relaxation. the new main garden
consists of a wide 1.5m high perimeter hedge, a water feature and different tree species
forming an arboretum in harmony with the existing trees.this is complemented by a hanging
garden of ferns concealing the old production building and introducing a moment of quietness.

white rock

the outer appearance of the new office building is characterised by nobility, a combination
of translucency/solidity and a play of light/shadow. the external façade skin consists of white
marble panels, which are staggered and set back, thus resulting in an intriguing day-and night
time effect.

access

visitors coming from the client car park situated in the north access the building in its north
western corner. staff members access the site via via dante and park their car in the underground
parking garage located underneath the building. deliveries also access the premises via via dante.

materiality
facades: white marble panels – staggered and set back / frameless fi xed double-glazing panels/
push-out glass window doors / hinged glass window doors / glass balustrades
internal spaces: tinted, sparkled screed to showroom / timber-lined auditorium / timber floors
to office spaces, lounge and cafeteria / tinted exposed concrete slabs / tinted exposed concrete
staircases and walls