IL RIFUGIO
Designing a new balance between animals, architecture and landscape, in the hills of Rivergaro and Vigolzone (PC).
Il Rifugio is an evolving system in which architecture is born from the needs of animals, the landscape and respect for the environment.
Rivergaro and Vigolzone, the Piacenza hills
~12 ha
Total project area (120,000 sqm)
~670 sqm
Indicative recovery of existing buildings
~2,500 sqm
Covered area for animal facilities
+1.6 ha
Additional area for uses coherent with the vision
A system, not a building
Horses, donkeys, goats, dogs: each species brings different needs for space, social life and protection. Architecture responds, adapts, and grows in phases.
Discover the animals & habitats →
Horses
Dogs
What guides every decision
Animal welfare
Freedom of movement, light, ventilation, safety, social behaviour.
Sustainability
Natural materials, low impact, passive strategies.
Landscape
Rural scale, minimal land consumption.
Modularity
A project that grows in successive phases.
Who can participate
Students & young professionals
Master's students, or professionals up to 30 years old.
Related disciplines
Architects, engineers, landscape architects, urban planners, designers.
Multidisciplinary teams
Sustainability, ethology, agronomy, materials, energy.