Ferrari HQ

Ferrari Headquarters in Maranello, Italy by Massimiliano Fuksas, 2004

The new Management Headquarters for Ferrari in Maranello, Italy by Massimiliano Fuksas is one part of a redevelopment project that also includes a paint technologies building by Marco Visconti. Close to this building and Renzo Piano's Wind Tunnel of 1998, the new office building attempts to bring nature into the employees' work lives. This is accomplished via a simple plan that creates generous courtyards full of bamboo and the use of water that further dematerializes the ephemeral building.

The most dramatic feature of the 150,000 s.m. (1.6 million s.f.) project is the cantilever of the second floor 7m (23 ft) beyond the first floor, above reflecting pools. Floor to ceiling glass helps to realize the intention of bringing nature to the employees, while also exposing the interiors at night. It appears that the hours after sundown were a consideration for the architect, as the reflection of lights via the reflecting pools adds another layer of sensory information that definitely makes the simple composition seem more complex than it really is.

The use of bamboo in the courtyards can be seen as a way to control the "natural" environment that the employees experience, be it through the glass wall or through the stairs and walkways that traverse these outdoor spaces. As well, the round columns supporting these last two are an artificial reference to the bamboo sticks, creating a unified design in the courtyards.

One of the most creative aspects of the Headquarter's design is the negation of the first floor roof through the use of reflecting pools. The ground floor is carried to the second floor to create another ground plane, at least visually for the occupants. The image at left is a view from the "yellow room" on the second floor, a room surrounded by glass walls on all four sides, surrounded by nature. It is a perfect culmination of the project's intentions, with nature in the round as well as reflected in the water.
 
(Thanks to Eric Morehouse for some help on this week's dose.)