Sferisterio . . . more "virility"

1987

Crystal and alabaster, 10 floors of offices, shops and services. The Piazza to the pedestrians, reopening via delle Moje.

"Office & Retail Center" - A project

Certainly one of the hottest topics within the current zoning master plan, currently under review by the city administration, is the area bordered by Viale Trieste, Via Cairoli, Via Carducci and Viale Don Bosco. Though some information on the area has been leaked, specifics of the "lu Ricciu" (dialect) area are still top secret. However, an important contribution to this area is offered by neo-architect Pier Domenico Pierandrei, recently graduated from the University of Pescara and now presenting his thesis, "A multifunctional building in Macerata", assisted by his adviser, professor architect Paolo Bettini.

After a careful historic/artistic analysis around the area of Piazza Nazario Sauro, Pierandrei chooses to connect the Sferisterio to a new, semi-cylindrical building using a pedestrian piazza; through an engaging design game of shapes and volumes, he manages to enhance the "virility" of the façade of the Sferisterio. This new piazza balances the view, with the modern building as a counterweight to the mass of lo Sferisterio, ancient temple to the game of ball and bracelet. The project also re-opens the connection between via delle Moje and viale Don Bosco , which becomes an exit ramp from the 2,000 sqmt underground garage, changing via Cairoli into a two-way route. The building rises 40 meters in elevation and will allow for 10 usable levels (the first four for retail, next five for offices and the top floor for fast-food / cafeteria). Clad in alabaster, the structure contains an inverted glass cone insert. On the upper levels, each floor is bordered by a terrace that functions as a horizontal pathway, while on the ground floor the piazza symbolically continues in the form of a slab. Of note, this young Italian-American architect, with roots in San Severino Marche, is heading to Washington DC to continue his learning and experience in the United States.