©Francesca Suriano
It was opened a few days ago, precisely April 10th of this year, the new Intesa Sanpaolo skyscraper in Turin, which bears the signature of one of the greatest architects in the world, Renzo Piano. The building is 166 meters high, a little further down the Mole Antonelliana. Not a random choice, as the town of Turin decided by regulation, in a sign of respect, this building does not exceed the symbol of Turin.
The skyscraper has 44 floors, 38 of which are above ground. In the basement there are technical rooms, warehouses and car parks. The remaining part of the property was divided into three main parts: the first to the fifth floor there is an auditorium “suspended” in the internal configuration variable, the central part is intended for offices, while in the last three floors is a greenhouse bioclimatic, with adjoining dining areas. The only part not accessible to the public is the area of the offices.
Analyzing the more technical aspect, we can say that the building was made of steel mixed concrete; in
particular, the structure is made of steel, in addition there is a core (body) of reinforced concrete. Of central importance are the 6 “mega-steel-columns“,perimetral to the building that constitute the true load-bearing framework of the building and to which is anchored the structure in its entirety. In particular, the seventh floor, there is an imposing trasfering structure , known more commonly as transfer. This element has two main functions: the first is to carry the loads of the floors above and let off on the mega-steel-columns, which transfer theload to the foundations; the second function is the supporting the weight of the auditorium, which, is suspended. This innovative solution, allows to the auditorium to be devoid of vertical load-bearing structures, so as to increase the interior space and also enhances the functionality. The auditorium is more precisely a multi-purpose hall with 364 seats with retractable chairs, so it can quickly turn from a concert hall in a conference hall.
This construction is not only structural innovations, but also in terms of environmental sustainability. In the east and west facades, two windows distant about 2.5 meters make up what is called “double skin“. It ‘a facade active (among the largest in the world), because it presents a mechanized system that regulates the opening of the plates, to ensure good ventilation in the summer, and a good thermal insulation in winter. The southern facade is covered by a photovoltaic field of about 1600 m2, and the heating / cooling system, does not use gas, but use the thermal energy of the water. More innovations are given by the reuse of rainwater that is collected in special wells and then be reused to irrigate the green areas. The internal lighting system adjusts the intensity of light according to the amount of natural spring and according to the presence of people.
PhotoGallery credits: ph. Francesca Suriano