EV Concept Store, Formigine, Italy

Urban Renovation and Mixed-Use Architecture by Ambientevario

Located in the historic heart of Formigine, the EV Concept Store by Ambientevario is a refined architectural intervention that reinterprets an existing building through renovation, vertical expansion, and adaptive reuse. Positioned near Piazza Italia, the project responds sensitively to the layered urban fabric while introducing contemporary commercial and residential functions that reactivate the surrounding public realm.

Recovering a Stratified Urban Structure

The building presents itself as an aggregate of volumes shaped by successive historical events, including damage sustained during World War II. Rather than erasing these traces, the design embraces the building’s stratification, treating it as a spatial and cultural asset. The structure unfolds across four above-ground levels in its tallest portion, complemented by an underground level housing historic arched cellars adjacent to the square.

The architectural strategy prioritizes preservation and reintegration, reinforcing the building’s relationship with Piazza Italia and strengthening its role as a social and commercial catalyst within the historic center.

Programmatic Reorganization and Vertical Expansion

Responding to the client’s request for a multifunctional destination, the project reorganizes internal layouts to accommodate a diverse mix of uses. The ground floor integrates a bistro alongside commercial spaces, enhancing street-level activity and urban permeability. Retail functions extend across the first and second floors, conceived as flexible, open-plan environments capable of hosting large-scale commercial programs and related services.

Above, the third floor introduces a residential layer through the elevation and construction of two apartments, carefully integrated into the existing urban skyline. This vertical extension respects the established eaves height facing the square, ensuring continuity with neighboring buildings while subtly signaling architectural renewal.

Structural Upgrade and Seismic Adaptation

From a technical standpoint, the entire building was redesigned to meet contemporary seismic standards. Structural reinforcement operates discreetly within the existing fabric, enabling functional transformation without compromising the architectural integrity of the original structure. This approach exemplifies a sustainable renovation model where safety, longevity, and adaptability are central design drivers.

Enhancing Urban Connectivity and Light

A key component of the intervention is the removal of level differences between external areas and boundary walls, establishing uninterrupted pedestrian continuity between Piazza Italia and the adjacent pedestrian street. This gesture reinforces the building’s civic role and enhances accessibility.

The project also extends the basement, introducing a partially opaque, walkable roof that captures natural light. Modified openings, extended down to floor level, allow daylight to penetrate deep into previously enclosed spaces, improving spatial quality and user comfort while maintaining a compact urban footprint.

Material Dialogue Between Past and Present

Materiality plays a crucial role in articulating the relationship between conservation and transformation. Existing brick façades were carefully restored: joints were skived and sealed, followed by the application of a transparent, breathable waterproof treatment enhanced with a subtle veiled pigment to visually unify the elevations.

In contrast, newly introduced volumes and altered openings are clad in Cor-ten steel. This weathering material, selected for its evolving patina, intentionally distinguishes new architectural layers from the historic fabric. Over time, the Cor-ten surfaces record environmental exposure, visually narrating the building’s ongoing transformation while referencing contemporary restoration practices.

To maintain coherence across the intervention, this finish extends to selected architectural details, reinforcing a consistent material language throughout the project.

A Contemporary Landmark Rooted in History

The EV Concept Store exemplifies a balanced approach to urban renovation, where adaptive reuse, commercial vitality, and residential integration coexist within a historically sensitive framework. By preserving the building’s compositional identity while clearly expressing new architectural interventions, Ambientevario delivers a project that is both contextually grounded and forward-looking.

This mixed-use renovation not only revitalizes an existing structure but also strengthens the social and spatial dynamics of Formigine’s historic center, positioning the building as a new point of reference for contemporary urban architecture in Italy.

All photographs are works of  Fabio Bascetta