DESCRIPTION

The renovation, requalification and recovery works of the historic building Villa Tofani in Ascoli Piceno are almost finished.  The building is placed near the neglected industrial site of the ex Sgl Carbon, a unique industry in Italia, which produces high-quality graphite electrodes for the melting of steel in an industrial electronic furnace. Villa Tofani will accomodate the new scientific technological and cultural pole. In accordance to the parameters dictated by Asur and Arpam, a specific new technique called ‘capping’ was used with a sealing intervention on the soil and waterproof and weatherproof geomembrane covering. Inevitably, this method involved cutting the surrounding plants, and also in consideration of this specific and necessary type of extra maintenance, the Province decided, as an offset measure, to save the green areas, replanting trees and other vegetation around local schools on an area three times that which was subject to intervention. This has increased the available green spaces to the town and territory. The intervention has also foreseen the removal of physical obstacles by an external ramp which satisfies the reference rules and the realization of an outdoor pavement around the apartment block. The commitment of the Province was to provide a meaningful contribution at the consultation table regards the SGL Carbon area, so as the conversion really can represent a crucial opportunity of restarting and development for the town of Ascoli and throughout the territory, combining environmental economic and planning requirements with a vision to the future and wide berth.