The building complex of the former Manifattura Tabacchi (the old Tobacco company), built in the 1950s-1960s between Via Ferrarese and Via Stalingrado, designed by the engineer Pier Luigi Nervi and property of the Emilia-Romagna Region will host the new Tecnopolo, the technological district of Bologna.
This innovation and experimentation center is part of the regional strategy for industrial research and technological transfer and of the Bologna Metropolitan Strategic Plan.

The project for the Tecnopolo, selected with a design competition, involves the demolition of the most dilapidated buildings to unveil the richness of the existing architecture and integrate it with the new ones to be built.
The new complex will be strategically integrated within the Navile neighborhood, well connected to Bolognina in the South and stretching northwards beyond the beltway.
Overall, the project contemplates the setting up in the Tecnopolo of of Institutions (Regional agencies, ENEA, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli) and research laboratories operating on dierent technological platforms: mechanics of materials, building, life sciences, energy-environment, ICT and data center, design.
Furthermore, the Tecnopolo will host the data center of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts - ECMWF, on a total area of 9 thousand square meters, including the area for high-performance computerized equipment on the ground floor and the oice area.
The Tecnopolo will host also the new national agency for the meteorology and climatology (ItaliaMeteo) concentrating some regional research organizations, becoming in fact a european hub for the climate change research.

Data
Surface area: circa 136.000 m²

Project promoted by: Regione Emilia-Romagna

Project (winner of competition in 2011): Studio Von Gerkan Marg und Partner-GMP

Realization: FBM - Finanziaria Bologna Metropolitana

Estimated overall investment: € 198.000.000