Project

A startup that goes faster, that matches sports and technology, that breaks all the records. This is the ideal candidate for the new edition of SPIN Accelerator, the world-biggest sports startups accelerator, promoted by Trentino Sviluppo in collaboration with Hype Sports Innovation and the University of Trento.

Starting in February 2013 the items in the page Worksite Diary will be prepared by the students of the "Fontana" Technical and Economics High School of Rovereto. The collaboration brings  students to visit Progetto Manifattua periodically, afterward they prepare an essay about the work in progress.

The collaboration is useful to students because they are preparing for technical careers. This practical experience adds to their classroom studies. During their visits students meet with project technicians and managers to study up close the concepts of how to remodel historic buildings, plan energy efficiency upgrades, redesign use of space, and work on urban and economic renewal. They also get a chance to understand how to work with the historic building commission and city government.

The collaboration got its start in spring 2012 and was first presented during the Street of Artisans event.

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Three more companies joined Progetto Manifattura this March. Biosoil Expert, NeveXN e a Q-field are now open for business in the Green House incubation space. The new companies have the characteristics of business that can find a niche in the ecosustainable economy, with local impact and potential for international appeal.

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Biosoil Expert, by Andrea Zerminiani, Paolo Campostrini and Alberto Ferrarese, intends to provide solutions that alleviate hydrogeological instability and soil pollution using biotechnologies applied to specific plants.

NeveXN, by Francesco Besana, Anna Vanzo and Fabiano Maturi, develops pumps for making snow at temperatures over 0°C, as well as desalination of water, cooling and refrigeration. The team plans to employ energy from biomass and thermal solar sources.

Q-Field, by Marco Malossini e Vincenzo Cribari, offers landscape architectural solutions using systems based on renewable energy sources.

On Feb. 23 the Association of Trentino Architects held at Progetto Manifattura to discuss the concept of urban renewal. Headlining the event was the renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who presented the preliminary project for the new light manufacturing area that uses wood for the structure as well as other locally sorced materials. Rovereto Mayor Andrea Miorandi discussed his views on this and similar projects that will modernize significant parts of the city over the next several years. He expressed appreciation for the new Leno waterfront which will establish a new relationship between the city and its rivers.

The video (in Italian, except for Kuma who speak in English) provides an overview of the evening’s theme and the technologies that will make the new infrastructures eco-sustainable.

More than 180 people attended the presentation of the Preliminary Design of the new production area by Kengo Kuma. The design marks an important step in the rebirth of the historic tobacco plant, part of a larger urban renewal program for the City of Rovereto.

The importance of the theme brought together the association of Trentino architects, Progetto Manifattura and the City of Rovereto to organize the presentation of Kuma's design and a discussion of its merits. Standout concepts came for architectural plans, the use of local materials (notably wood), and the technical solutions chosen to reduce by 30 percent the amount of energy consumed, as well as the use of rainwater to cover 80 percent of the complex's need.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:170:]]Production of food is also in the plans, with hydroponics and greenhouses on the green roof.

Another strong contribution to the ecosustainability of the project is the Green Travel Plan. The project is reducing the number of parking spaces required by current norms by 40 percent as the plan foresees integrating and augmenting public transport with low and zero emission vehicles.

Making presentations were provincial assessor Alessandro Olivi, Rovereto mayor Andrea Niorandi, and the president of the local architect's association Alberto Winterle.

Assessor Olivi expressed appreciation for Progetto Manifattura for its contribution to revitalizing the local economy. Mayor Miorandi highlighted the urban planning aspects of the project, especially the opening of new public spaces along the Leno riverfront.

Architects and urban planners of the province of Trento will meet 23 Feb. 2012 at 18.30 in the conference room of Progetto Manifattura to discuss the cocept of urban renewal. The focus will be the preliminary project of the new production area designed by architect Kengo Kuma, one of the authors of the project master plan.

Presenting the project will be Kengo Kuma together with:

• Alberto Winterle, president of the Archtects' Association of Trento
• Gianluca Salvatori, president of Progetto Manifattura
• Andrea Miorandi, mayor of Rovereto

 The event will be held at the old Manifattura Tabacchi, piazza Manifattura 1. The public is welcome.

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[[wysiwyg_imageupload:157:height=305,width=300]]The magazine Nordest europa.it  (in italian), Jan-Feb 2012, talks about the economic future of Italy beyond the present crisis. They see entrepreneurs dedicated to emerging markets like ecosustainable products and services, ICT and other high tech areas. The article "Oltre la Crisi" (Beyond the crisis) mentions Gianluca Salvatori and Progetto Manifattura because the "green innovation factory" is an incubator of companies working in green building, renewable energy, and technologies for the environment.

Progetto Manifattura is looking at the long term. The goal is to create a nucleus of many small companies in the clean-tech field to become the Italian epicenter of epochal economic change. It's all part of the so-called "Trentino System": the decades long pursuit of the local government to grow in clean tech and high tech.

The public is cordially invited to participate in the last public meeting for the design of the Leno waterfront of the Manifattura. The meeting is at the UrbanCenter in Rovereto 27 October at 17:30.

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