The recovery of the Italian industrial heritage: the case of the Solvay Silos by Pier Luigi Nervi in San Vincenzo (Tuscany)

The Solvay Silos in San Vincenzo (Tuscany), built between 1928 and 1936 and designed by Pier Luigi Nervi and the Ceretti&Tanfani Company, belongs to that multitude of huge industrial structures which, originally built in the early 20th century at the edges of a city, after the 2nd World War was overwhelmed by the uncontrolled urban expansion, losing its use and becoming incompatible with the urban tissue. This paper aims to present the results of a project proposal for the sustainable recovery of the silos. The project primarily focused on the architectural survey of the structure and on the reconstruction of its historical events. The analysis followed at a territorial scale, in order to understand the dynamics that could make the silos recovery an important opportunity for the community of San Vincenzo. The success of the intervention strongly depends on the level of integration with the city and on its capability of creating new touristic, cultural, economic and social opportunities. The project therefore proposes a sustainable regeneration of the structure for community services: spaces for co-working, cultural activities and for the promotion of the local food products. For this purpose, a feasibility study was developed considering gradual recovery interventions with both public and private financing in a business plan covering a period of 27 years.