A floating sky
BNL-BNP Paribas, an important player in the banking sector, decided to move more than 3,000 of its employees to its new headquarter in Rome. This unique, state-of-the-art office building almost floats in the air, suspended between the sky and the earth. The massive 70,000 m² building stretches over 230 m and is divided into 12 storeys, with 4 underground levels.
Big ambitions outside and in
The architects of the new BNP-BNL Paribas had a grand ambition for both the interior and exterior of the building. Aiming for a LEED Gold certification meant that areas like energy efficiency, lighting and acoustics were high on the agenda. It was important to create a space that supported the people using it and not forcing people to adapt to it. Interior designer, Paolo Mantero from Studio Mantero explains, "Open-spaces in particular present the challenge of acoustic reverberation and this is why we decided to choose a ceiling with high acoustic absorption and improved sound insulation, reducing the overall sound level and creating more comfortable environments in which everyone can easily concentrate".
