We are delighted to announce that, on the occasion of the 12th edition of Architect's Day, Park Associati received the prestigious Premio Architetto Italiano 2024.
Instituted by the Consiglio Nazionale degli Architetti, Pianificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori (CNAPPC) in Rome, the award celebrates excellence in contemporary Italian architecture and is given to professionals who have significantly contributed to architectural innovation, sustainability and improving the quality of life through their work.
The project that led us to this award is Luxottica Digital Factory, an industrial architectural renovation project that has distinguished itself for its transformative capacity and beneficial effects on the urban regeneration of the area in which it is located.
The jury's motivations: ‘By reinterpreting the existing industrial architecture, the project has added innovative elements while respecting the identity and spirit of the place and has highlighted its overall quality also in relation to the wider urban context. With a new use, retrofitting and a contemporary language, a former industrial area is redeveloped. The second life of this building maintains an open dialogue with the context and at the same time tells a new story capable of comparing itself with international experiences for the quality of the result obtained’.
The comment of Filippo Pagliani and Michele Rossi, founding partners Park Associati: "We are deeply honored to receive the Architect of the Year 2024 award. This award belongs to our entire team and celebrates the extraordinary journey of the firm over the last 25 years. It spurs us to embrace the great challenges of our time to transform the built environment and shape new futures full of possibilities."
The Luxottica Digital Factory is an architectural reuse project that merges innovation with urban memory. Located in Milan’s vibrant Tortona district, in a former General Electric complex, the building reinterprets and revitalizes an industrial past with a bold, contemporary vision, creating flexible workspaces designed for collaboration and the natural flow of ideas.
Inspired by the core values of Luxottica, a global leader in the eyewear industry, the project focuses on architectural quality and technological experimentation, with a strong commitment to sustainable solutions and respect for the social fabric of the neighborhood.
The building’s envelope, a result of advanced technological research, ensures exceptional transparency and brightness. A full-height glass facade accented with vertical bronze metal fins, echoing the rhythm of industrial sheds, enhances natural light, fostering a dialogue between interior and exterior.
The bright, flexible interiors, designed in collaboration with StorageMilano, house showrooms, commercial areas, and the Digital Lab, a center for technological innovation. An internal garden and green patios on the first floor encourage informal gatherings and moments of relaxation.
The project stands out for its commitment to the highest standards of quality and sustainability, following the strict criteria of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) protocol. This path led to obtaining the prestigious GOLD certification, a recognition that testifies not only to the project's energy and environmental efficiency, but also to its positive impact on the community.
The Luxottica Digital Factory returns to the city a vital, dynamic space where memory, innovation, and creativity find an ideal ground for dialogue. It stands as proof of how adaptive reuse can breathe new life into the urban fabric while redefining the boundaries of workspace design.
