The Former Data Processing Centre (“Ex Meccanografico”), inaugurated on 5 November 1969, was a key facility within the national data registration system. At its core was a valve-based computer, essentially an early form of CPU. From the 1980s onwards, after the removal of its original machinery, the building gradually fell into decline until it was acquired by the municipal administration in 2005.
The renovation project aimed to adapt the building to its new function while preserving its connection to the urban and architectural context of Trieste.
The external façades were redesigned to improve thermal and acoustic performance and to give the building an architectural identity consistent with its new use. The ground floor will accommodate the operations of ESATTO, occupying the entire floor area. The main entrances and central lobby are conceived as shared spaces, providing access to the municipal offices and multifunctional areas on the upper floors.
The second floor houses offices, archives, meeting rooms, and administrative services, while the third floor has been designed as a multifunctional space.
The external envelope was upgraded to comply with current energy efficiency standards, with insulated façades ensuring high thermal performance. Exterior surfaces are finished with white textured plaster and anthracite grey pre-coated metal cladding.
Internally, new partition walls were built in plasterboard, while the existing walls were replastered and skim-coated. Flooring materials include ceramic tiles and marble, selected for durability and ease of maintenance.
The original façade openings were preserved and enhanced through the installation of glazed façades and high-performance aluminium window systems, ensuring excellent thermal and acoustic insulation.
From an architectural perspective, the project required a series of key design decisions. The original postmodern concept was intentionally abandoned, being considered visually outdated, in favour of a restoration approach aimed at completing the building’s unfinished original architectural identity.
To better integrate the building into its surroundings, the new front façade reflects the proportions of the neighbouring buildings, while emphasising the visual relationship with the historic Campo Marzio railway station.
