CULTURAL COMPLEX and THEATER

The Multifunctional Cultural Complex (CEM) acts as the pivotal start-up of a wider city requalification, both social and landscape wise. With its contemporary and sculptural identity, four big volumes, with gentle and curved shapes, creates the new public Centre on the Maggiore Lake of Verbania.
The building is located at the San Bernardino river estuary, near the historical Villa Maioni and behind the local Civic Library.
The Centre is open towards the surrounding. It defines a new urban and public area with great social value, an open space designed as meeting place, leisure, different kinds of events. The location is a perfect focal point between the two urban areas in the city.
The lake stone is the main symbol of the project while the striking surrounding context is the concept inspiration of the Centre. Its architecture grows from the unique relation between mountains, city and lake.
The architectural complex hosts a wide entrance foyer for cultural events and art exhibitions, a theatre for 500 people and a 200 one, service and ancillary spaces, offices, a rehearsal theatre, a restaurant and a cafe.
Inside, a series of mobile platforms allow different configurations: a unique horizontal hall or a classical theater.
The external landscape is sculptured with a system of descending bleachers allowing a breathtaking panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding Italian Alps.
Zinc metal sheets, with a characteristic shading and vibrant colour, clad the four curved volumes, with its colour recalling and harmonizing with the lake and the sky. A local stone is used for the external pavings. Inside, warm, welcoming and natural wood represents the main element.

Location: Verbania (VB) _ Italia
Client: Comune di Verbania
Area: 5.000 mq + 5ha
Construction Cost: 13.600.000,00 euro
Volume: 25.000 mc

STONES
_ Arch. Salvador Perez Arroyo _ Team leader
_ Sbarch Studio Bargone Architetti Associati _ Coordinator
_ Arch. Peter Cook, Garcia BBM, Ing. Arch. M. Mariani, Arch. E. Auletta, Bianchini e Lusiardi Associati, Ing. A. Sandelewski, Arch. F. Brenci, Arch. A. Di Muzio

CULTURAL COMPLEX and THEATER _CEM by Federico Bargone in Italy won the WA Award Cycle 29. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.