Exhibition Center for the “Agriculture Days” – Valledolmo
Description
Year of construction 2023
Technical and economic feasibility study for the construction of an agricultural exhibition center
Valledolmo: an innovating territory
Valledolmo, a small municipality in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, lies at the foot of the Madonie Mountains and retains a strong agricultural identity, also known for its cultivation of the "siccagno" tomato.
Its small population and rural character make it an ideal location for regeneration and sustainable agriculture projects.
Under the leadership of Mayor Angelo Conti, the administration has adopted an open approach to innovation, promoting synergies with universities, businesses, and cooperatives to foster economic development, sustainability, and community participation. INSULÆ's involvement stems from a long-standing partnership with L@bCity Architecture of the University of Palermo, experimentation, and training activities related to the transformation of rural landscapes. This shared experience has fostered direct cooperation with the Municipality, combining technical, academic, and administrative expertise to serve the local community.
Why the project was born
The Agricultural Days, which annually attract over 20,000 visitors to Valledolmo, have demonstrated the area's potential as a regional hub. However, the event's growth has highlighted the lack of permanent infrastructure dedicated to exhibitions, training, and cultural initiatives.
For this reason, the Valledolmo Municipal Administration, led by Mayor Angelo Conti, has initiated a process of listening and engaging with residents, agricultural businesses, technicians, and universities.
This process highlighted the need to provide the area with a modern and sustainable exhibition center capable of:
enhancing local agri-food supply chains;
hosting events and activities throughout the year;
creating new opportunities for employment, training, and innovation;
generating an economic and social impact for the community.
The drafting of the Technical-Economic Feasibility Project therefore represents the first concrete step toward the creation of a stable infrastructure, designed to support the development of the area and strengthen its agricultural and cultural identity.
Project Solution
Located in the northeast of the country, the complex extends over an area of 31,400 m² and envisages an investment of approximately €18 million. It will be conceived as an ecosystem of relationships between agriculture, innovation, education, and the community: exhibition pavilions, open spaces, a central plaza, demonstration areas, and parking areas are integrated into a simple and sustainable architectural structure, capable of interacting with the landscape rather than imposing itself.
The project adopts energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction criteria, favoring local materials, bioclimatic construction techniques, and strategies consistent with ecological transition and territorial regeneration.
In addition to hosting the historic fair, the new hub will be a permanent meeting place for producers, institutions, and citizens: a rural innovation laboratory, a center for the promotion of local supply chains, and a platform for professional training and research.
The New Valledolmo Exhibition Center thus represents a concrete vision of sustainable development: an architecture serving the community, capable of combating depopulation and restoring vitality and a future to Sicily's inland areas.
Results obtained
The project has been presented several times to the public and numerous public and private institutions, which have recognized its strategic value and the quality of the design choices. Many entities have already expressed their willingness to support the project through the next administrative and operational stages, aware that an initiative of this magnitude requires the involvement of multiple municipalities and an integrated network of local stakeholders: businesses, universities, associations, and third-sector organizations. The Municipality of Valledolmo will continue its work of sharing and discussing, constantly updating the community on the project's progress and the opportunities the new Exhibition Center will generate.
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Reference site about Lorem Ipsum, giving information on its origins, as well as a random Lipsum generator.