Piazza Kilometro Rosso
HeidelbergCement’s Italian subsidiary, Italcementi, was involved in the creation of a public plaza at the science and technology park Kilometro Rosso in Bergamo, Italy. The project was realised using innovative solutions from Italcementi, such as white cement for precast elements and i.idro Drain concrete for the pavement.
i.idro DRAIN is an innovative concrete formulation capable of draining water. It combines the strength of a normal concrete pavement with a drainage capacity of 100 times greater than that of natural soil.
To date, Kilometro Rosso consists of 5 buildings comprising a total of 25,000 square metres where almost 3,000 people live, work, study, and meet: hence, the need to design a cross-functional plaza was clear from the start.
The public plaza was designed as a series of concentric circles with different curvatures, overlapping and intersecting one another. The decision to use a draining concrete pavement allowed the creation of large, flat areas without visible drains, while still preventing the collection of stagnant water as well as any formation of ice during the winter. The surface is coloured in four particularly bright shades of grey, which makes it possible to reduce the so-called "heat island" effect.
Concrete benches define the perimeter of the area, during the daytime thanks to their white colour and during night time through integrated lighting. Each module features two millings, the outer of which houses an LED light band that illuminates both the base and the surrounding floor without dazzling the eyes. In addition, each module has fixtures to hold vertical elements of street furniture, such as baskets or other accessories.
The same type of white cement is used for the amphitheatre staircase, which can host a large audience thanks to its wide radius.
The teamwork between designers, concrete technicians, precast producers, on-site workers, and construction companies was a complex, but fruitful, experience: starting from very different ideas, we achieved a tremendous result, rich in various facets and peculiarities that lend even greater value to the science park.
