At the core of our proposal for Chiesi Farmaceutici’s invited competition in Parma was a clear ambition: to revive the site’s cultural heritage and honour its legacy as the birthplace and historic production centre of Chiesi. Rather than introducing a single new building, our vision imagined a contemporary forum — a vibrant ensemble of distinct structures and programmes that open outward to the city and gather around a medicinal garden at the heart of the site.
Sustainable futures through adaptive reuse
Central to this approach was the commitment to preserving as much of the existing architecture and material as possible. By transforming and revitalising what is already on site, we aimed to create a renewed dialogue between past, present and future, shaping a contemporary and sustainable urban environment that grows naturally from its heritage.
Some of the existing buildings are renovated and infused with new functions, while others are more extensively transformed — and, most radically, one building is constructed from the leftover materials harvested directly from the site. The colonnade which surrounds the medicinal facilitates access between buildings, offering an inviting route, evaporative cooling, and a distinctive public space.
A new urban destination rooted in co-ownership
Through an active dialogue with its urban surroundings, Forum Chiesi takes shape as a dynamic composition of buildings—ranging from small to large in scale—each hosting a variety of public-facing functions. Embracing the concept of co-ownership, the project establishes a new urban destination in Parma, transforming what was once a closed industrial site into an open and inviting place for the community. A carefully curated mix of programs welcomes the neighbourhood inside, fostering activity and engagement.
The co-ownership model reinforces a strong sense of place and belonging by thoughtfully interpreting Chiesi’s heritage and aligning it with the company’s forward-looking ambition to act as a meaningful and active presence within the local community. The program includes local food production in a vertical community garden, shared community dinners, botanical workshops and products, a public park, a bike café, and other activities that open Forum Chiesi to the surrounding city.
Cross-disciplinary design driving Chiesi’s social impact
Our team’s full spectrum of expertise has shaped this proposal — spanning sustainable architectural transformation, bioregional material strategies, radical reuse, inclusive workplace design, and forward-thinking engineering. Combined with a robust landscape and urban life strategy, this integrated approach seeks to raise the bar and spark positive ripple effects in the community, ultimately supporting Chiesi’s ambition to create a tangible and lasting social impact across the neighbourhood and the wider city of Parma, firmly rooted in the company’s legacy.
Our warm congratulations to 51N4E and TEN on their winning proposal — and our sincere thanks to Chiesi for your trust and for your high ambitions for sustainable design in the social city.
— BRIQ
