Headquarter Reale Mutua

The vertical gardens, green walls, are being used evermore frequently for their important esthetic effect to decorate both buildings and homes; they are amply appreciated for the feeling of wellness and tranquility derived from the presence of nature in private, public spaces or workspaces.

Sundar Italia specializes in the realization of vertical gardens, actively collaborating with the architects for the integration of these walls in their projects. The company puts their own knowhow, the experience with internal botanicals, a vast selection of plants and also a state of the art technology that guarantees a continuous control of the vegetation walls and a easy long term maintenance at disposition. Sundar Italia was chosen to realize the vertical garden of the new Real Mutua headquarter in Turin.

Thus, we present you, thanks to the collaboration of the designers of Studio Kuadra, the Reale Mutua of Turin site case history.

Studio Kuadra, the design studio, in a general plan for restructuring and requalification of the Real Mutua Turin site, put into act various modifications to the building to improve the environments according to their use, the lights and esthetics combining best the modernity of the new spaces and the history of the building.

Details, furnishing and modern technology were introduced giving an innovative and contemporary aspect right upon entry; furthermore 'we chose to use the vertical garden as a backdrop of the lobby to amaze the visitor with this natural touch inserted in the architectural precision of the historical building' affirming the designers of Studio Kuadra. Moreover, the demolition of a portion of terrace base on the first floor allowed for more daylight in the hall, amplifying the perception of the space. Natural light and the use of the vertical garden are the two elements that permitted the project to achieve the intent to create a hybrid environment in which internal and external spaces blend'. The insertion of a vertical garden brings bright colors to the otherwise subdued and captivating tones of the internal environment creates, in effect, a contrast that pleasantly surprises.

Sundar Italia and Studio Kuadra collaborated actively in the various phases of designing, form the preliminary steps to the development of the executive details. The vertical garden was a 'material' completely new to the designers, and so, the collaboration with a company as highly specialized as Sundar Italy, allowed the best development of the job and all the executive details respecting the initial planning idea.

On the other hand for Sundar Italia, every project is a new challenge to develop the ideas of the client and designers with quality and professionalism. In this case the experience and knowhow was fundamental to be able to give life to a vegetation wall of great dimensions considering the structural complications; in fact, two weight-bearing beams were hidden within the vertical garden, the natural light was insufficient and a precise calculation was needed for the insertion of the plants given the close vicinity of a stairway in steel and glass. Initially, together with the design studio, type of plants to insert were chosen according to the possibility of realization and installation; these needed to have two principal characteristics: create volume and defined lines, evident and clear, with particular 'geometric' shapes, and be low-maintenance with little time needed for pruning and cleaning.

The panels for the creation of the green wall, as routine, were made in-company and then transported on a controlled temperature truck to the Reale Mutua site, in the middle of the historical center of Turin. Later, following the plan, the company technicians installed, in one day, 150 square meters of panels onto a weight-bearing structure created ad hoc. To remedy the scarce natural light, an artificial illumination system was prepared to guarantee not only a nice esthetic output but also the maintenance of the plants. The walls were equipped with a central line for irrigation and fertilization controlled 24/7 by a remote controlled system; in this way it is always possible to have a complete picture of the state of health and maintenance of the plants, deciding if and when to intervene, therefore cutting down on costs of management and maintenance.

The geometric design of the façade recalls the angularity of the ancient fortifications. The acute angles amplify the thickness of the facade giving it greater strength and rigor. This aspect is further amplified by sunlight interaction with the game of full and empty, reveals illuminated surfaces, portions less exposed and heavily shaded areas, helping to lighten the overall design of the facade.

In our case the splay lapidee around each fenestration are irregular, by inclination and width, so to give a contemporary appearance to the stone covering, in itself, as a material more traditional.

Observer, inside these openings, will address the look as if they were telescopes pointed outward. The first two lower floors were glazed, full of light to give the illusion of an increased volume suspended on above the floor.

The project involves the construction of two main portals highlighted by the use of a different coating material. The portal of the ground floor emphasizes the area accessible from the public and provides the highest permeability to the reception desk and waiting areas directly in contact with the green space of the inner courtyard. On the top floor, however, the portal acts as belvedere overlooking the city and the surrounding landscape, framing the top two floors of the tower glazed corner and the outside terrace, giving a further tone modern and contemporary to the building. A key element of the appeal in the night.

This portal partially continues the thread of glass volume, as pure architectural structure that does not constitute nor facade full and neither volume.

The connection to the neighboring building on Corso Siccardi, was designed as a large "shadow gap", obtained drawing back the volume of the fire escape. The remainder of the volume of the building has been faithfully maintained, and covered by a casing technology. The bearing structure of the building, is realized with pilastrature slightly recessed relative to the wire of the facade in order to allow the displacement of the glazing of the double-height hall which encloses the ground floor and the gallery floor.

An important element of the project is the external view from Corso Siccardi, towards the inner garden courtyard.

It is meant a change in the stairwell to expand the optical cone angle between Via Bertola and Corso Siccardi guide the eye to the inner garden. The current preliminary draft envisages a stairwell at an angle, in the hub of the new building, whose shape, the ground floor and mezzanine, limits the view to the green.

Our design hypothesis suggests a modification to the development of ladders and a displacement of the towers of the elevators, so as to create the maximum possible visual gap towards the inner gardens. These changes to the stairs covered only the first two floors, while the next, the stairs goes back in a central position in order to serve all floors, including the last of the tower.