Congress Centre Riva del Garda

The complex contains the Riva del Garda Municipal Theatre and Congress Centre, unfolding along a sort of conceptual passage, whose beginning and end are defined by two highly distinctive architectural elements: the scenic tower of the theatre and the cantilevered glass wall that looks out onto the lake. The plaza that is formed in the space in front of the entrance to the hall becomes a protected public site that connects the complex to the historic city centre. The roof is a series of inclined planes that cause the heights of the façades to vary, endowing the structure with a more fluid three-dimensional form.
The project also calls for the realization of an ample outdoor area surrounded by an existing park just a few metres from the lake. The plaza thus becomes a court into which the routes from the city centre flow, filtering them towards the lakeside promenade, as well as the privileged point of access to the theatre and congress hall and the system of stairs and elevators conducting to the underground parking facility. The theatre tower becomes not only a distinguishing feature of the new building but a point of reference for the city, marking the beginning of the architectural volume. The volume concludes with a cantilevered element facing south that can be used for multiple purposes, from exhibitions to gatherings. The full glass wall looks out onto the city’s most significant natural element, Lake Garda.

With Andrea Palaia