Camplus Bononia:
a city university residence

Camplus Bononia, the new university residence in the San Vitale district of Bologna opened in September 2012, is a functional and comfortable building designed for the needs of young people, it is located just 2 km from the main university faculties and is easily accessible on foot or by public transport. Close to the Sant’Orsola Hospital and the Villaggio del Fanciullo sports centre, the Camplus consists of 205 rooms and 9 two-room apartments offering a total of 258 beds, along with study areas and numerous spaces set aside for leisure activities, sport and relaxation.
The project to modernise the structure, awarded to the practice GAd — Global Architecture Design, involved renovating an existing section and constructing an adjacent building from scratch.
The spaces that have undergone extensive renovation include a large dining room and 5 shared kitchens, a 200-seat conference hall, 2 study and research rooms, a computer room with 10 PCs equipped with printers and scanners, 4 tutoring rooms, a library, a newspaper library, recreational areas, a video room and a large gym.
Design, technology and reduction in energy requirements were the principles underpinning the entire project for the new Camplus, from the ventilated facades with exposed fixtures on the external walls to the comfortable student rooms, all perfectly designed for a complete university experience.
Due to their high aesthetic and technological quality, approximately 7,000 square metres of porcelain tiles from Ceramiche Caesar were chosen for the floor covering. City and Skyline from the D-sign collection were used for the interior spaces. Along with the textural qualities that are essential for surface covering applications, the ceramic tiles were also used to create a raised floor and to guarantee the maximum flexibility of the structure. Additionally, the Manhattan colour from the More series was used to create the design of the exterior facades, which are illuminated at night in 5 different colours.
«The need to establish order in details and to experience a sense of wonder in the composition was fulfilled by ceramic tile,» commented engineer Michele Pezzarini from Gad. «The regular steps in the plan and elevation of the facades become the pixels of the image projected towards the city by the colours of the balconies.»
In keeping with its green principles, the Bologna-based architecture practice created a double-sided wall of vegetation 10 metres in height that dominates the entire entrance of the building. The exterior spaces, including a large garden with trees for study and socialisation, host an innovative bookcrossing service that allows students to exchange books and share ideas about what they have read.
Camplus Bononia offers a wide range of innovative, design-oriented services intended to guarantee students a pleasant stay and to inject fresh life into the city in keeping with the name — Vitale — of this district of Bologna.