zaha hadid architects breaks ground on centre for mediterranean culture in calabria, italy

Honoring reggio Calabria’s Rich Cultural Legacy

Construction of Reggio Calabria’s upcoming Centre of Mediterranean Culture is officially underway, its monumental architecture envisioned by Zaha Hadid Architects as a museum and cultural gathering space for the southern Italian region. As Reggio Calabria’s Mayor, Giuseppe Falcomatà, and ZHA director Filippo Innocenti lay the foundation stone, the moment marks a significant milestone in the project, which promises to transform the city’s cultural landscape.

ZHA has designed the ambitious building to be located in the historically strategic city of Reggio Calabria, which sits on the Strait of Messina in southern Italy. The city has long served as a gateway between the eastern and western Mediterranean, connecting the Italian mainland with Sicily and standing at the crossroads of trade routes and marine ecosystems.

visualizations © NightNurse

A Multifunctional Cultural Hub by zaha hadid architects

Zaha Hadid Architects’ new center will highlight Calabria’s rich cultural heritage, which has been shaped by maritime civilizations for centuries. The architects have designed the Centre of Mediterranean Culture to complement the city’s existing archaeological and art museums by exploring the deep relationship between Calabria and the Mediterranean Sea. This way, the project ensures that both the region’s history and future are showcased in a modern, dynamic setting.

The new Centre of Mediterranean Culture is part of a broader redevelopment of Reggio Calabria’s waterfront, an area that has experienced environmental degradation over time. Zaha Hadid Architects’ design integrates the center into the Reggium Waterfront, creating a coastal urban park and extended promenade that enhances access to the shoreline and offers breathtaking views of the Strait of Messina and Sicily.

Zaha Hadid Architects has begun construction on the Centre of Mediterranean Culture in Reggio Calabria

interior Spaces Reflect Calabria’s Marine Life

Zaha Hadid Architects envisions the Centre of Mediterranean Culture as a major civic and cultural gathering space for Reggio Calabria. The design reconnects the working port to the city, making it an integral part of the public realm. It will host various events, exhibitions, and forums, all while showcasing the relationship between humanity and the sea from a local, Calabrian perspective.

At 24,000 square meters, ZHA’s center will be a significant addition to Calabria’s cultural infrastructure. Zaha Hadid Architects’ design includes permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, an aquarium, multifunctional conference facilities, an auditorium, and educational spaces for local schools. It will also feature leisure amenities such as a bookshop and restaurant, enhancing the visitor experience.

Interiors are influenced by Calabria’s marine environment, reflecting the region’s biodiversity. Zaha Hadid Architects incorporates colors and forms inspired by marine life, especially in the auditorium, where coral hues evoke the vitality of the Mediterranean Sea. The aquarium’s fluid interior spaces create an immersive experience that brings Calabria’s rich marine ecosystem to life.

the center is located along the Strait of Messina, an historic gateway between the Mediterranean and Sicily

The architects make use of advanced computer simulation modeling to determine the building’s architectural composition, which balances public courtyards and architectural volumes. This way, the architecture will shelter visitors from the intense sunlight and prevailing winds characteristic of Calabria’s climate. Each courtyard offers views of the port, city, or a panoramic terrace overlooking the Strait of Messina.

Zaha Hadid Architects incorporates sustainability strategies that respond to Calabria’s climate and environmental conditions. The center’s design mitigates summer heat and wind through its architectural composition, while a 90% opaque facade with marine-grade anodized aluminum panels minimizes solar heat gain and cooling demand. These panels, sourced locally, reduce energy consumption and maintenance, aligning with long-term sustainability goals.

The team’s commitment to sustainability extends to the surrounding landscape, which will feature a Mediterranean maquis with sixty native plant varieties. This landscape design will enhance local biodiversity while minimizing water usage, with rainwater captured on-site to support irrigation and building requirements, demonstrating a holistic approach to resource management.

the project is part of the broader Reggium Waterfront redevelopment to restore the coastline

it will explore Calabria’s cultural relationship with the sea and complement the city’s museums

the architecture mitigates summer heat and wind through its composition

project info:

name: Centre for Mediterranean Culture

architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects

location: Reggio Calabria, Italy

visualizations: © NightNurse | @nightnurseimages

project design: Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher
ZHA project director: Filippo Innocenti
ZHA project architect: Domenico di Francesco
ZHA project associates: Andrea Balducci Caste, Marco Guardincerri

ZHA project leads:

BIM manager: David Fogliano

facade, landscape: Marco Guardincerri

interiors: Andrea Balducci Caste, Zsuzsanna Barát

MEP+structural coordination: Andrea Balducci Caste

ZHA project team: Abdel Chehab, Anja Simons, Davide Del Giudice, Gabriele di Giovanni, Hangyul Jeong, Luciano Letteriello, Mario Mattia, Michele Salvi, Marina Martinez, Roberto Vangeli, Stefano Rocchetti, Serena Pietrantoni, Vincenzo Barillari
ZHA interior architecture project architects: Bidisha Sinha, Kar Hwa Ho
ZHA interior architecture project associate: Roberta Sartori
ZHA interior architecture team: Aysu Aysoy, Andy Lin, Caleb Baldwin, Sonia Renehan
ZHA sustainability team lead: Carlos Bausa Martinez
ZHA sustainability team: Aleksander Mastalski, Aditya Ambare, Bahaa Alnassrallah, Disha Setty
ZHA CODE team: Tommaso Casucci, Efthymia Douroudi, Henry David Louth, Vishu Bhooshan,
Shajay Bhooshan
ZHA competition project director: Filippo Innocenti
ZHA competition team: Michele Salvi, Roberto Vangeli, Andrea Balducci Caste, Luciano Letteriello, Fabio Forconi, Giuseppe Morando, Johannes Weikert, Deepli Zachariah, Gonzalo Carbajo

consultants:
local architect: Artuso Architetti Associati
structural engineers: Interprogetti
general contractor: COBAR spa
environmental consultant: Biagio Cillo
facade engineering: Faces Engineering
M&E engineering, MEP, fire engineer, competition fire engineers: Macchiaroli & partners

quantity surveyor, cost consultants, maintenance planning, site safety management: Building Consulting

acoustic consultant: Roberto Candela
auditorium stagecraft, multimedia design, auditorium acoustic consultant: Biobyte
museum planning consultants: Lord
aquarium specialist: Costa Edutainment Spa
maritime infrastructure: INGER
agronomist consultant: Rosario Previtera
competition structural engineers: AKT
competition M&E: Max Fordham