Conad, a nature-friendly shopping centre

The new Conad shopping centre in Monsummano Terme in the province of Pistoia extends over an 8,000 square metre area on two floors, including a 4,600 square metre covered space. «This newly built complex is part of a more extensive ongoing urban planning programme that will reshape the periphery of the village of Cintolese, expanding and revitalising its economic and social functions,» explain Luca Spampani and Anita Agostini from the practice Spampani-Maddaloni & associati who worked on the architectural and urban planning project. «We focused on three aspects: creating a meeting place that would integrate the new public and private urban spaces; maximising the functionality of the facility for business activities; and optimising the working environments.» The resultant complex demonstrates how it is possible to carry through construction projects that avoid impacting the surrounding area. «We chose sustainable materials such as glass, ceramic and wood which are well suited to the decidedly agricultural nature of the location while also fitting in with the recent urban redevelopment of the nearby parish complex.» The practice opted for natural materials that are connected with the local architectural style. «The large glazed surfaces are set into ceramic tile-clad walls that offer a modern interpretation of traditional stone architecture along with the stone strips extending along the base of plastered façades typical of the local architecture. Wood is also used as a powerful visual element in the large glulam roof.» The building is an intricate «organism» made up of several parts, from the Conad superstore to the bistro bar, warehouses, offices, changing rooms and toilets. «The project fulfils two main aims. The first was to create a seamless connection between the internal meeting areas and the urban spaces, for which purpose we designed a kind of appendage to the city, a space where people can gather and socialise. The second aim was to promote a closer connection between the retail and social functions, which we achieved by minimising the physical and visual barriers between the shopping, communal and meeting areas, both inside and outside.» The functions are intentionally adjacent and interconnected thanks to the use of large, transparent glazed walls. «The retail area of the superstore is characterised by large heights, abundant natural lighting and pale-coloured ceramic floor tiles. The bistro bar, on the other hand, has lower ceilings and warmer coloured ceramic tiling that together create a more intimate and relaxing atmosphere.»
Ceramic tiles in an 80×80 cm size from Cerdisa’s Reden collection were chosen for the project. «We chose the Ivory tone both for the eating and relaxation areas and for the exteriors to achieve a sense of seamless continuity between inside and out. We love ceramic tile for its sustainability and versatility, for its complex material effects and for its ability to fulfil a wide range of design requirements and to blend in with different architectural and landscape contexts.»