The Bologna Business School’s New Chapter

Blending discreetly into the rolling hills around Bologna, Italy, the new Bologna Business School (BBS) campus – designed by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects – has been conceived to provide the school with new educational spaces that expand the historic headquarters of Villa Guastavillani, featuring flexible environments and extensive outdoor study areas.

The newly constructed volume stems from the transformation of three existing buildings into a single multifunctional block, for which a high-performance envelope was selected. It was developed by Isopan, a joint venture between Manni Group and Marcegaglia Steel. The project also involved the refurbishment of two additional buildings: a former farmhouse, now home to classrooms, offices and meeting rooms, and an old kiln, converted into a reception area to welcome students. The new complex is connected to the historic villa by a grand staircase symbolizing the ongoing dialogue between past and present.

The relationship with the landscape is a key element of the project, which integrates harmoniously into a green area of more than fifteen hectares. Crucial in achieving this result is the solution adopted for the new campus's external envelope: ADDWind by Isopan, a high-performance ventilated façade system that is part of Isopan’s ADDMIRA range.

Based on insulated rock-wool sandwich panels with an external cement board finish, ADDWind combines excellent thermal and acoustic performance – resulting in significant energy savings – with a contemporary aesthetic. It fully reflects the core values of Mario Cucinella’s design: architectural quality, technological innovation and environmental sustainability.

>>> Browse the publication dedicated to the new Bologna Business School Campus