Corte di Fossoli

The “Corte di Fossoli” complex, located to the west of the hamlet of the same name in the Municipality of Carpi, is the surviving example of an ancient rural court of historical and architectural significance. Its current configuration dates back to the 19th century, although its original nucleus may date as far back as the 16th century. It was first owned by the Pio family and later by the Este family. A testimony to an agricultural organization that has now disappeared, the Corte is being brought back to life through a project aimed at improving living quality and restoring the complex’s role as a place of community gathering, while also accommodating cultural and recreational functions.

The complex covers an area of approximately 23,000 square meters, where the buildings are connected to the urban context through a green area crossed by pedestrian, cycling and vehicular paths converging toward a central space: the Corte’s historic terracotta-paved courtyard.

Different functions will be housed within the Corte’s rural buildings: public housing, a multifunctional space, a cultural center, an observatory, a residential center for people with disabilities, and a fruit and vegetable retail space for selling produce harvested from the social garden located within the site. The buildings will be accessible via historic and nature paths within the public space, integrated into the local flora and fauna. The diversity of uses within the buildings and the presence of a large green area will improve residents’ quality of life, reconnect the site to the current urban structure, and restore the urban and social centrality this place once had.

The project’s challenge lies in addressing and reconciling the different scales of intervention, the building scale and the urban scale, without overlooking the site’s historical and cultural significance and the environmental and economic sustainability of the design choices, made possible through the collaboration of the public authorities.

The solutions adopted for the adaptive reuse and redevelopment of the area are designed to meet current environmental standards while respecting the historical and architectural character of the complex.

The project adopts strategies aimed at improving the buildings’ energy efficiency, using renewable resources, and increasing resilience to climate change. “Energy saving” is understood not only from a technical and economic perspective, but also in terms of its contribution to improving environmental comfort through careful control of airflow within the buildings and accurate sound insulation of the spaces.

Furthermore, in compliance with European DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) regulations, the relevant principles are applied to ensure that no significant harm is caused to the environment.