New Campus Bologna Business School
An architectural project combining tradition and innovation to expand educational opportunities in the heart of the Bologna hills.
Project: New Campus Bologna Business School
Location: Bologna, Italy
Property: Bologna Business School
Design: MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects
Isopan solution: ADDWind system with Isofire Roof panel cladding in Cimento® panels
Photography: Walter Vecchio
To meet the need for expanded space at the historic Villa Guastavillani campus, a new university complex was constructed, covering a total area of 2,500 m². The project reconfigured three pre-existing buildings into a single coherent and functional architectural structure.
The former farmhouse has been repurposed to house two classrooms and study spaces, while the building previously used as a bakery was reconstructed following its original shape and now serves as the new student reception area.
Completing the complex is a newly built structure developed over three levels:
- Basement: A large multifunctional open space accommodates teaching activities, events, conferences, and dining areas. An underground tunnel directly connects this level to the farmhouse.
- Ground floor and first floor: The entrance hall and classrooms are located here, featuring bright interiors and large glazed surfaces overlooking the hilly landscape.
The building’s opaque envelope was constructed using a ventilated façade system based on insulated sandwich panels with rock wool core and external fiber cement finish. For the 270 m² of vertical surface, Isopan's ADDWind system was used, paired with Isofire Roof panels and a Cimento® finish.
The choice of rock wool as insulating material, combined with the panel thickness, ensures excellent year-round energy performance:
• In winter, low thermal transmittance helps retain indoor heat.
• In summer, high thermal inertia helps prevent overheating of indoor spaces.
The ADDWind system stands out for its dry construction technology, ideal for projects requiring high thermal insulation, structural lightness, fast installation, design flexibility, and ease of disassembly.
The sandwich panels used, featuring polyurethane or mineral wool cores and metal facings, offer high thermal performance and excellent dimensional stability, ensuring long-term consistent results. Moreover, the presence of the sandwich panel helps optimize surface thermodynamic flow, enhancing the building envelope's overall efficiency.
In line with sustainability and the responsible use of natural resources, the building is also equipped with a system for collecting and reusing rainwater, particularly useful during the summer months.
