Good volcano

Vulcano Buono is a multipurpose center designed by arch. Renzo Piano that stands northeast of Nola, in the immediate vicinity of the vast area that includes Interporto Campano and the CIS (Centro Ingrosso e Sviluppo Campania) goods distribution hub. The Vulcano Buono complex is spread over a 50-hectare lot, with 150,000 square meters of covered area and the remainder designated for parking and green space. At the time of its completion, it represented the largest Shopping and Service Center in Italy, inside which are housed a 13,500 sq. m. hypermarket, a shopping mall with 155 stores, numerous dining outlets, a 147-room hotel, a wellness center, a multiplex cinema, and parking for 8,000 cars.

The most easily recognizable feature of the complex is its truncated cone shape, a reminder of nearby Vesuvius, from which it is just over 15km away as the crow flies. The structure looks like a real artificial hill, with a height ranging between 25 and 41 meters and a total diameter of 320 meters. Inside, commercial spaces and services are spread over two floors, arranged around the large open-air plaza that corresponds to the base of the ideal crater. As stated by Renzo Piano, the project is a contemporary interpretation of the Greek market, with a central open space that becomes a meeting place and venue for events. The structure is entirely covered with grass and low vegetation, allowing the building to be totally integrated with the surrounding areas from a landscape point of view.

The shape of the complex was achieved by means of a reinforced concrete load-bearing structure. Surrounding the central plaza, 160m in diameter and developed over an area of 22,000 square meters, are the two floors of the shopping gallery. The latter is topped by a sloping roof, made with a specific stratigraphy designed to ensure high thermal insulation.

The surface of the roof is interrupted by a series of double-glazed, solar-controlled skylights, which allow maximum use of natural light to illuminate the walking areas, while controlling, at the same time, the internal temperature. Finally, the structure is treated with greenery and covered with typical local plantings, so that the complex can blend in with the surrounding landscape.