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Name: SIDERA – HQ CIA Conad
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Category: Office building
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Location: Forlì, Italy
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Completion: End of 2023
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Architects: Tissellistudioarchitetti
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Size: approx. 10,000 sqm
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Total cost: < 200,000,000
Sidera is the new headquarters of Italian retailer cooperative CIA Conad designed by tissellistudioarchitetti. The complex is located within a manufacturing zone along the edges of an ancient Roman grid in Forlì, Italy. It forms part of a broader redevelopment initiative aimed at transforming a repetitive stretch of prefabricated warehouses near the highway toll gate, just a few kilometers from the historic city center.
Context and programmatic response
The site offered little in the way of inspiration or constraints beyond the strict functional program provided by the cooperative. This program called for maximum flexibility in the office layout, with exclusive workspaces for one or two employees rather than an open-plan format. Each of the six company departments needed to occupy a single floor, and the headquarters also required a 200-seat assembly hall and a dining area designed to convert into office space if necessary.
From the outset, the design approach avoided purely formal experimentation. Instead, the building’s shape emerged from a careful response to functional and logistical demands. Its final form reflects a creative process that embraces the cooperative’s own rational and pragmatic character, making the architecture itself a manifestation of the company’s scientific precision.
Sidera also integrates forward-thinking sustainability measures. Developed in 2012–2013, the project anticipated Italy’s now-mandatory Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) and aligned with the European Green Public Procurement (GPP) framework, demonstrating an early commitment to environmentally responsible design.
Dynamic form and fifth facade
The building stretches horizontally for 100 meters and rises 33 meters above a landscaped base roughly 3 meters high. Its exterior is defined by just three materials: six kilometers of vertical aluminum fins, black pigmented concrete, and about 5,000 square meters of glass.
The natural aluminum slats dominate the façade, catching and reflecting daylight in constantly shifting tones that change with the hour and weather. Paired with the tight rhythm of the sunshades, they create a dynamic effect: at times the building appears opaque, at others almost transparent, depending on the viewer’s position.
The envelope concept extends beyond the façades to the roof, conceived as a true “fifth facade.” In an era where satellite imagery and tools like Google Earth shape our perception of space, the roof becomes an equally visible and intentional design element.
The design draws on the vernacular pitched roof, an unexpected gesture in an industrial zone. Six sloping roofs span the length of the building, linked by three large skylights. Together, they establish a subtle dialogue with the nearby Apennine skyline, embedding the complex in its wider landscape.
The interior design was conceived as an inseparable part of the building, not a secondary layer applied after the fact. The aim was clear: Sidera should not rely solely on its exterior to convey identity. Instead, the architecture would function like a living organism, with interiors designed as a continuous sequence of sensory stimuli. The underlying belief is that intelligence and creativity thrive in spaces that spark curiosity and complexity rather than in sterile, formless environments.
Many of the design decisions were informed by the principles of neuroarchitecture, seeking to create an ideal workplace. Light, air, sound, and views are introduced as carefully calibrated architectural components, rather than incidental conditions.
The glass façade regulates natural light, which reaches every workspace in a controlled and comfortable way. Artificial lighting follows a 24-hour circadian rhythm, supporting the body’s natural cycles. Ventilation is fully managed by advanced systems, while the absence of operable windows guarantees a constant supply of clean air, even in one of Europe’s most polluted regions. Every level enjoys views of the surrounding greenery, and careful soundproofing contributes to a sense of mental and physical well-being—factors that directly enhance employee performance.
The palette is deliberately restrained. No artificial colors are added beyond the natural tones of wood, aluminum, and concrete, giving photographs of the building a desaturated, almost ascetic quality. Custom Corian furnishings continue this commitment to authenticity, and the overall sobriety reflects the cooperative’s pragmatism and seriousness.
A dramatic counterpoint to this restraint emerges in the circulation spaces. Large, sinuous staircases carve through the building, the only points where Sidera’s full vertical dimension can be experienced. Their sweeping lines and fluid balustrades spiral upward like a living organism drawn toward the daylight streaming through the skylights.
Along the routes, generous galleries with built-in seating form small plazas and informal meeting points. These social spaces encourage employees to pause, exchange ideas, and foster the relationships that underpin both well-being and productivity. In this way, the people themselves complete the architectural vision, activating the building as a dynamic, creative system.
Sidera ultimately rejects rigid orthogonality. Its entrances, stairways, assembly hall, and top floor are shaped by sloping planes and faceted ceilings, creating a sequence of spaces in which compression and release replace static symmetry. The result is an interior that feels alive—responsive, stimulating, and fundamentally human.
Low-carbon material strategy
Sidera's carbon performance is classified as low carbon, built with recyclable and low-impact materials like glass, aluminum, steel, and concrete. A key innovation is the use of XLAM cross-laminated timber for part of the roof, which acts as a carbon sink by storing CO₂. The interior features solid Italian oak flooring, chosen for its durability and reduced transportation emissions, aligning with circular economy principles.
Sidera achieves carbon-neutral operational performance, being fully electric and gas-free, with an energy class A4 rating. It relies on a photovoltaic system from nearby warehouses. The centralized building management system enhances energy efficiency and comfort. Additionally, 300 trees and 22,000 plants were planted, sequestering around 52,000 kg of carbon dioxide annually to help offset energy consumption.
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