The company Fantini is situated in a truly magnificent location on the banks of Lake Orta. An exceptional place that is probably without equal and where the need to maintain a balance between the presence of the factory and the unique surrounding nature presented a major challenge, and it was for this reason that the project to enlarge the company was both complex and very delicate.

Designed by the architect Piero Lissoni/Lissoni Architettura, it represents a striking and very innovative example of how industrial buildings can be successfully integrated into the natural landscape.

The premise of the project was to reorganize both the company's production processes and logistics to incorporate lean manufacturing systems together with the R&D department that was brought inside the company so as to safeguard technical and design know-how.

Enhancement of side facing the lake formed the basis of the architectural project, an aspect of the factory and offices that had never previously been addressed.

Some of the key functions of the company such as the offices and showroom have been placed on the lakefront, the large glazed surfaces establishing a symbiotic relationship with surroundings and a physical and visual continuity between the exterior and interior.

The principal choices regarding the architecture and materials were made starting from the desire to integrate the existing industrial buildings into the surrounding environment with a project capable of creating an overall visual harmony and establishing an architectural homogeneity between the pre-existing buildings that had been constructed at different times.

The dark grey U-Glass cladding chosen to cover all the surface of the walls is like a 'skin' that confers continuity and visual cleanliness to the complex and the two main blocks of the factory and integrates naturally into the landscape.

A key element of the project was locating the reception in the central area with respect to the new layout in order to better manage the flows of employees and guests.

From the company entrance to the reception, a long covered walkway dialogues with the water, flanking the river and proceeding onwards towards the lake, where there is also a jetty for guests and clients to reach the Casa Fantini hotel by boat.

The industrial character of the architecture is clearly visible outside in the choice of materials: raw reinforced concrete and slabs of concrete for the walkway.

The green pergola that covers the path dividing the two factory blocks has the function of integrating natural elements into the industrial architecture.

Painted in dark grey, the distinctive nature of the pre-existing industrial buildings on the lake front has been maintained, while the luminosity of white, of the light-coloured resin and the transparency of the large glass surfaces dominate the interiors of the offices and showroom which lead to the garden that commands a wonderful view of the lake and the island of San Giulio.

In recent years, the question of architecture in the environment has become increasingly the  focus of the cultural debate between architects, urban planners, and landscapists, and  this has led to a new world view that has become consolidated. 

A starting point for any plan is  to conceive architecture as an organism that is sustainably a part of an ecosystem, where  transformation is part of a process founded on the objectives of environmental sustainability.

Also, the Fantini business boasts an extraordinary location, on the shores of Lake Orta. A special place like no other, where it is definitely a challenge to strike a balance between the presence of industrial facilities and the special natural setting.

This is why the renovation and enlargement project was complex and very delicate. Signed by Piero Lissoni the project is an excellent and very innovative example of how to harmoniously embed the industrial facilities within the natural landscape.

The choices in terms of architectural composition and materials were made with exactly this goal in mind, so as to create a visually pleasurable environment.

As a precondition for the project. Some of the productive departments were delocalized, so the whole business management and productive processes were rethought.

At the core of the concept of the architectural project is the enhancement of the lakefront area, which was not really integrated with any of the company buildings before.

A strategic choice was made in placing the offices and the showroom right in the lakefront area. Their large glass walls create a perfect integration with the environment, and a beautiful synergy between the inside and the outside.

Among the goals of the project was also that of aligning, from an architectural standpoint, all the preexisting company facilities, built in subsequent historical periods.

All the wall surfaces were covered with a U-Glass dark grey finishing, a sort of ‘skin’ that gives the two blocks of the company an effect of visual continuity and natural integration with the landscape.

In addition, a staple of the Fantini Headquarters project was also the relocation of the front desk to the center of the whole business activities, so as to perfectly manage the flow of employees and guests alike.

The industrial nature of the facilities is made evident by the choice of raw concrete, even for the walkways.

Between the company entrance and the front desk there is a long roofed walkway running along the river, in harmony with water, and ultimately leading to the lake, where a dock will host a boat for guests and client, directly linking the company to Casa Fantini.

The green pergola roofing the two company blocks is a further integration of natural elements within the industrial architecture project.

The preexisting industrial buildings on the lakefront have kept their raw nature with their dark-grey color, whereas the brightness of white - together with the light resin and the transparency of the large glass walls - dominates the inside of the offices and the showroom, directly connected to the garden, with its breathtaking views of the lake and Saint Giulio Island.