“Wood Court Restaurant | Fabbrica di Pedavena”

By Caterina Testa - 2 October 2019
Mapei, Schüco have participated in the project

Groane Park is one of the few remaining areas of natural vegetation in one of Italy’s most densely populated urbanized areas: the metropolitan area of Milan. Lying north of the city and dotted with a multitude of small cities, towns, industrial zones and commercial areas, this expanse comprises the final stretch of the Po valley as it slopes gradually up to the foothills of the Alps. The only tracts that have been left relatively virgin are three wedges of land coursing from the foothills down towards the Lombardy capital of Milan. Groane Park contains numerous independent municipalities separated by stretches of natural - mostly wooded areas - accessible to city visitors thanks to the consolidated road system. A short distance from the metropolis, the park is a much-loved playground for city dwellers. Designed by the architects of INS Ilaria Nava Studio, the park’s Wood Court Restaurant | Fabbrica di Pedavena references man’s intricate relationship with nature and the conviction that frequenting our natural world instills a sense of collective ownership of a common good that must be safeguarded. The architecture practice was involved by the client right from the start, some ten years earlier, in the search for a site for this recreational center and restaurant. In fact, the project would probably never have been completed had there not been total agreement between the two parties on the way forward. The new restaurant replaces an older building that once stood along one of the roads through the park. It had lain abandoned for years and was totally demolished to make way for the new construction. This has been placed in the most secluded corner of the 6,700 sq. m site surrounded by dense woodland, in the most favorable position for sunlight, seclusion from noise, and views. The iconic contemporary architecture produced by INS for this protected natural site is an excellent example of how a manmade artifact can complement and integrate a natural...