TEK DISTRICT BOLOGNA
Located between the Bolognina and San Donato neighbourhoods, Bologna’s TEK District project is a sustainable urban regeneration programme that will see the creation of an extensive European Big Data and AI hub.
Covering an area of approximately 277 hectares running parallel to Via Stalingrado and stretching from the old Mascarella city gate across to the Dozza prison, the TEK (Technology, Entertainment, Knowledge) District already hosts the headquarters of some of Italy’s major economic players, such as BolognaFiere, the energy and services provider Hera, and insurance company Unipol, as well as key regional trade associations like Legacoop, Confcooperative, Cna, and Unioncamere. The area is also home to the Emilia-Romagna Regional Authorities and the Tecnopolo area, where the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts), and the supercomputer Leonardo – the world’s fourth most powerful system – are headquartered. These will be joined by other science and technology institutes like INFN, Cineca, ENEA, IOR, the National Research Council for HPC, Big Data and Quantum Computing, the United Nations University for Human Habitat Change Management harnessing Big Data and AI, and the “Officine della Conoscenza”, the new citizen science bureau established by the Bologna city authorities with PON Metro funding.
The area also includes extensive brownfield sites, such as the former Sani Barracks and the former mechanical company, Casaralta, along with many other decommissioned or underutilized sites.
© ARUP Technical Design Studio
With a potential redevelopment surface area of over 210 hectares, the site is Bologna’s largest urban regeneration project since the post-war period. Public funding to the tune of more than 1 billion euros has already been invested to create the Tecnopolo, the red-line tramway, Metrobus, the Via della Conosenza thoroughfare, and the DLF recreational park. Private investment of a similar amount is expected to follow.
Alongside the Tecnopolo, the other key factor driving regeneration of this area of strategic national and European importance is BolognaFiere’s new masterplan. As well as extending the Exhibition grounds and its amenities, the project also aims to make this trade-show district an integral part of the city’s urban fabric with the creation of new entertainment and cultural facilities. The Piazza della Costituzione entrance will be redeveloped and a new multi-purpose structure built. Designed by architect Mario Cucinella’s firm MCA, the new pavilion will feature a sports arena, retail, cultural and recreational spaces. In the northern-most section of the redevelopment area – directly opposite the Tecnopolo – a new digital innovation Village will be built to house companies, start-ups, and research units and also a residential district.
The masterplan also details the requalification of the Parco Nord. A green area of some 50 hectares will once again be made available to Bologna’s citizens while the Joe Strummer Arena - capacity 25 thousand - will be completely renovated,
Close to Parco Nord, energy provider Hera will build its first Energy Park, an ambitious, innovative industrial project to further the development of renewables, biodiversity safeguard, and the 2030 Climate Neutral Mission.
The revitalization plan will also see the progressive transformation of the main road Via Stalingrado – the backbone of the new TEK district – into a tree-lined European boulevard. A first pre-feasibility study of this transformation was presented to the city authorities by ARUP. Project goals include a 40% reduction in vehicle emissions and a 100 reduction in summer ground temperatures thanks to the creation of over 6,000 m2 of permeable green areas.
In order to ensure the smooth, well-coordinated rollout of the many approved and future projects, the City authorities and the Emilia-Romagna Region have set up a joint working group coordinated by the regional Councillor for Economic Development, Vincenzo Colla, and the municipal Councillor for Town Planning, Raffaele Laudani. Recently, an advisory committee has also been established with the Ministry for Universities and Scientific Research.
(Comune di Bologna,12 marzo 2024 https://www.comune.bologna.it/notizie/tek-nuovo-distretto-innovazione-digitale)
