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New Brembo Research and Development Centre

The new Research and Development Centre of the Brembo company is the first building to be completed as part of the new architectural complex envisaged in Jean Nouvel’s Master Plan for the Kilometro Rosso Science & Technology Park. Interior design by Blast Architetti (Bombassei, Siccardi and Traversa) and landscaping by Land.

The Kilometro Rosso Science & Technology Park is located just outside the city of Bergamo, along the A4 Milan-Venice motorway. Conceived internally as a campus, the signature feature of the complex is the “Kilometro Rosso”, a spectacular architectural screen fabricated from extruded aluminium and coloured red. This Red Wall is intended by Jean Nouvel as a protective sound barrier to shield the buildings and the park from the noise and pollution of the motorway traffic.

The Brembo Research and Development Centre occupies 11,000 m2 and is located at the south-easternmost end of the Kilometro Rosso Science and Technology Park area.

The materials and colour schemes selected by Blast Architetti for all interiors are typified by an aesthetic approach applying rigour: the bare reinforced concrete of the perimeter walls presents a raw texture complementing the transparent lightness of screenprinted glass partitions that divide the office space and afford a continuous line of vision toward the surrounding park. The display niches, contain superior mechanical components manufactured by Brembo, and are illuminated using special Led sources able to produce changes in tone and colour. On the outside, the Brembo building appears as so many rectangular blocks, rather like a randomly assembled Lego model.

The lighting design for this imposing centre is based on the integration of natural and artificial light: during the daytime, natural light is diffused through the structure, ensuring visual comfort, and at night, the extensive glazed surfaces are lit up to create luminous curtains. In the offices, recessed Optica units ensure an average 500 lux on horizontal surfaces, while creating no problems of glare or reflection on VDU screens. The fixtures used in the meeting rooms are fluorescent Cestello, providing both background and accent lights. Recessed Lineup fixtures functioning as wall washers are installed along the corridors, the light from these units combining with uplight provided by recessed Linealuce fixtures.

The green space around the Brembo R&D Centre forms part of the overall design presented by Studio LAND (Landscape Architecture Nature Projects New Brembo Research and Development Centre Development) for the Science and Technology Park. The Park is illuminated by fixtures generating limited visual impact: recessed Ledplus for the walkways and iWay fixtures for roadways.

(Text adapted freely from monograph by Sebastiano Brandolini in “Brembo Research and Development Centre 2004-2007”)