Massimo Iosa Ghini, the architect whose firm Iosa Ghini Associati [http://www.iosaghini.it/] has been engaged for the FICO Eataly World Hotel project, illustrates the redevelopment of Bologna’s former flower and plant market to create the new hotel. "We wanted to maintain as much as possible of the existing structures that could be recovered. To transform an essentially industrial site into a hotel, we’ve created a series of ‘islands’ inside the space, which measures 12,000 square meters. There will be indoor areas, glassed-in courtyards, through which the light will enter uniformly, overlooked by rooms of different sizes." Sustainability is the keyword for the hotel: "We have been very careful in our choice of materials and technologies. We plan to make extensive use of wood and shall be employing certified ecological materials,” says Iosa Ghini. "As far as technology is concerned, the hotel adjoins a solar PV field, and we have designed a highly ‘virtuous’ geothermal heating and hot water system."
The FICO hotel project was first presented to the public, media and industry during MIPIM 2018. A successful debut, marked by FICO Eataly World’s victory at the MIPIM Awards.
Massimo Iosa Ghini (Bologna, 1959) graduated from Milan Politecnico. Since 1985 he has worked at the forefront of Italian design with the Bolidismo group, which he founded, and he is a member of the Memphis group with Ettore Sottsass. In 2017 he was chosen as the "Ambassador of Italian Design" under the Italian Design Day - IDD project organized and coordinated by the Italian Foreign Ministry, to put the spotlight on Italian design around the world.
The FICO Eataly World project was financed by Prelios SGR through the PAI - Parchi Agroalimentari Italiani Fund, and promoted by CAAB, Eatalyworld and Prelios SGR with the participation of leading Italian institutional investors. The creation of the world’s largest agri-food park also involved Prelios Integra as project manager of the entire initiative, which was officially opened in November 2017. Prelios Integra is also responsible for the subsequent development phases, including the construction of the hotel from the redevelopment of Bologna's former flower and plant market.