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Turin’s Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) has expanded with the opening of its new Marconi campus at 18 Via Nizza, the product of a redevelopment project designed by Marcante – Testa in collaboration with architect Walter Camagna. The project involved a painstaking architectural renovation, spatial reorganization, and services upgrade, in compliance with current fire-safety regulations, of a 3000 m2, five-story building.
Previously used as office space, the building has been transformed into a new campus for IED students, which will offer new master’s degree courses in interior design, interaction design, and transdisciplinary design to begin in the 2024–25 academic year.
The philosophy behind the project is deeply rooted in sustainability and minimizing environmental impact. The architects avoided demolition work, aiming instead to conserve and integrate existing building elements into the new facility, ranging from the lighting systems to the metal slat false ceilings and tile flooring. This not only reduces costs and the use of resources, but significantly contributes to minimizing waste.
The architects designed the classrooms, labs, and common areas to meet the new needs of IED. Then they added splashes of color and distinctive elements, such as a graphic art piece by artist Giorgia Scioratto inspired by the book Il paesaggio è un mostro (Landscape is a monster) by Annalisa Metta.
The interiors include the “lower” spaces, representing the contemporary, and the unaltered “upper” spaces, which create a visual dialogue between old and new, while highlighting the concept of sustainable renovation.
“This renovation is much more than a series of new floor plans; it’s a model of sustainable design that champions the transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary. Its approach is a highly implementable response to the growing need for meaningful interventions that are simultaneously more sustainable and optimize the use of resources.”
Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa
The new IED campus in Turin comprises a library with study areas, spaces for fashion courses (including a material and fabric libraries), tailoring workshops, a jewelry and accessories design workshop, and a visual arts workshop. There are also two common areas, including an entire floor with a panoramic terrace to encourage students to interact and exchange ideas.
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Location: Turin, Italy
Completion: 2024
Architect: Marcante – Testa
Client: Istituto Europeo di Design
Photography by Andrea Guermani, courtesy of Marcante – Testa
