Congress Centre in Chianciano Terme

date: 2004
customer: Associazione Albergatori di Chianciano Terme
object:  Progetto di un complesso multifunzionale dedicato prevalentemente alle attività congressuali

location: Chianciano Terme
size data:
Surface of the area: 64,000 sq. m.;
Covered surface: 13,400 sq. m.;
Available surface; 22,453 sq. m.;
Volumetry; 176,951 c. m.
Project Stage: Preliminary and definitive project

The new Congress Centre in Chianciano Terme is conceived as a multi-function complex dedicated mainly to congresses, a new hub of hotel tourism, and as a driving force for the local economy in this area in the province of Siena. The project is characterised by a large plan cover, completely green, of a hectare and a half of perfectly planted greenery in the hilly area, under which the various functions of the Congress Centre are conducted. The chosen place for the congress centre is in the locality of Petriccia, near the southern border of the old centre, surrounded by the Ruoti stream and by the ridge of the Via della Valle and dominated by the historic centre of Chianciano.

 Some guidelines were defined for the project base that defined the organisational, architectural-distribution and technological model.

Contextualisation: realised through the integration of the building complex in the, making use of the orography and exposition, re-proposing pieces of the surrounding agricultural fabric: a sort of botanical allotment in continuous evolution where the changing blossoms between seasons will give an extraordinary dynamicity to the structure too.

Environmental comfort: achieved through architectural and distribution choices, the finishing materials and chromatics, the correct design of the systems yet also paying attention to the functional equipment and planning for the appropriate spaces for the reception, restaurant, welcoming areas for the speakers and congress participants.

Organisation: The correct size of the rooms, of the speaking space and of the service space were determined on the basis of the foreseen receptiveness and in consideration of the temporal flexibility of the areas. A “quality system” has been planned for.

Flexibility: the principle of flexibility guided the drawing up of the project influencing both the typological and formal choices as well as the structural knit. The layout is based on the regular knit module, where the geometrical subdivision is created for large areas and in turn the layout is divided and dividable in order to reach the required levels of performance. The functional mix can therefore be modified in order to maintain design coherence.

Functional organisation: basement levels: house the technical and deposit areas and the secondary spaces for the auditorium. Ground floor: here there is the main access to the foyer, which leads to other areas: the 1,470 seat auditorium, the multi-purpose expo hall with mobile galleries for 4,200 people, 2 conference halls each with 300 seats, coffee shop, offices and general services for the congress participants. First floor: houses 2 multi-functional rooms for congresses or expositions, the panoramic restaurant, the second gallery of the auditorium and service areas. Covered level: here access to the Centre is possible, “gliding” from the elevators into the colourful and aromatic gardens.