The works of the archistars in Reggio Emilia, Modena and Parma

From Santiago Calatrava to Renzo Piano, there are many world-famous architects who have left their ‘mark’ in Emilia-Romagna. Here we have collected the most beautiful works of these archistars in Reggio Emilia, Modena and Parma.

REGGIO EMILIA

The Reggio Emilia AV Mediopadana Station – Santiago Calatrava

Located just over 15 kilometres from our agriturismo, the Reggio Emilia AV Mediopadana Station is a futuristic construction that bears the signature of Santiago Calatrava, one of the most famous and influential architects of the last 50 years. The station is the only stop on the high-speed line on the Milan-Bologna route and one of Europe’s most visible architectural works. Entirely made of white painted steel, concrete and glass, it is composed of a repeated succession of 13 portals that alternate to generate a succession of 457 moving waves. At night, the interior lighting emphasises the sinuous course, presenting the structure as a lantern.

The Iride nursery school in Guastalla – Mario Cucinella

In the province of Reggio Emilia, and more precisely in Guastalla, the main centre of the Po River Riviera and Lower Reggio area, is the Iride Nursery School, a small architectural jewel designed (after the 2012 earthquake) by Mario Cucinella, the architect capable of transforming architecture with innovative projects based on environmental sustainability and more. It is a single-level structure composed of the multiplication of 50 glulam portals interspersed with large windows. The entrance is similar to a large belly, like that of Pinocchio’s whale, with high ceilings evoking the animal’s belly and glass walls that allow you to enjoy the feeling of being outdoors.

MODENA

The San Cataldo Cemetery in Modena – Aldo Rossi

The San Cataldo cemetery complex, located on the urban outskirts of Modena’s Madonnina district, consists of two clearly distinct parts: the historic cemetery, built in the years 1858-1876 by architect Cesare Costa; and the new cemetery, designed in 1971 by Aldo Rossi, one of the most significant architects in European history and the first Italian to win the prestigious Pritzker Prize. A masterful expression of Rossi’s poetics, the modern part is in a rationalist-metaphysical style and is characterised in the centre of the courtyard by a tall brick-coloured cubic building, representing the ‘house of the dead’ as opposed to the ‘house of the living’. Among the deceased buried in the complex are Enzo Ferrari, actress Virginia Reiter, Olympic gymnast Alberto Braglia and playwright Paolo Ferrari.

The MEF – Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena – Jan Kaplický

The MEF – Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, dedicated to the life and work of the founder of the car manufacturer, consists of the restoration of the house where Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898 and a futuristic pavilion of over 2,500 square metres designed by the brilliant architect Jan Kaplický (and completed, due to his sudden death, by his co-designer and faithful assistant, architect Andrea Morgante). Aesthetically, the large pavilion echoes the typical language of 1950s racing cars: the large façade is inspired by the front grille of cars, while the roof resembles a bonnet. Those entering have the impression of entering a temple consecrated to the automobile and its history.

PARMA

The Niccolò Paganini Auditorium in Parma – Renzo Piano

Inaugurated in 2001, the Niccolò Paganini Auditorium was designed by Renzo Piano, a key figure in international architecture and winner of numerous awards, including the Pritzker Prize. The auditorium represents the most significant urban redevelopment of one of Parma’s most important areas and is located in the urban park that housed the historic Eridania sugar factory from 1899 to 1968. Developing the metaphor of a sugar factory transformed into a factory of sound, the architect has created a sort of visual ‘telescope’ that has preserved the thick side walls of the factory and contrasted them with two entirely glazed transverse walls. The building consists of a plenary hall for 780 people, foyer, dressing rooms, bar, offices, cloakroom and control room.

Photo gallery © (1) Guastalla Cultura e Turismo – (2 e 3) Visit Modena