The project reinterprets the post-industrial identity of Castellanza through the transformation of a former factory complex into an open and contemporary urban hub. Key historical elements—including the brick façade, the underground vaulted structure, and the existing chimney—are preserved and integrated into the new architectural composition, maintaining a strong link to the site’s industrial past.

New wooden structures and green courtyards are introduced to reconnect the complex with nature and the nearby Olona River. The masterplan is conceived as an accessible urban system that reactivates a previously closed industrial area, extending the public park and establishing new pedestrian connections between the city, the university, and the riverfront. The new volumes reinterpret the traditional courtyard typology of the local urban fabric, ensuring natural light, outdoor spaces, and visual continuity with the landscape.

The project is structured into two main components: an innovation hub accommodating workspaces, training facilities, and an auditorium, and a separate student residential component located within the same plot. The internal organisation of the innovation hub is arranged into three functional wings connected by bridges and courtyards, creating a flexible environment for workspaces, training facilities, and an auditorium.

Wood is used as the primary structural material, combined with a reinterpretation of the shed-roof system to bring indirect daylight into the interiors and integrate photovoltaic surfaces, shaping a contemporary and efficient learning and working environment.