Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́ by Ying Bi and Siyu Bai is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ìkọ́lé, Ilé àti Ètò Competition Category.
IdẹÌkọ́lé· 2026
Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́
Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award Winner in Ìkọ́lé Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #182316The Design
About Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́
Book Text: Iṣẹ́ àkànṣe yìí tún ṣe àtúnyẹ̀wò ogún iṣẹ́-ọ̀rọ̀ ti ìlú Ivrea gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọgbà ẹ̀kọ́ àti àṣà ìgbàlódé. Nípasẹ̀ àtúnlò àwọn ilé kọnkíríìtì tó wà tẹ́lẹ̀ àti fífi àwọn ilé irin tuntun tó ní ìpín-ìpín kún wọn, ìṣapẹ̀rẹ̀ náà yí àyíká ìmújáde àtẹ̀hìnwá padà di àgbékalẹ̀ tó ní ìsopọ̀ fún ìkẹ́kọ̀ọ́, ìṣeré, àti ìgbé-ayé àwùjọ. Ilé eré, àwọn àyè olóríṣiríṣi iṣẹ́, àti ọ̀nà ìṣíkiri tó ṣí sílẹ̀ jọ ṣẹ̀dá ilẹ̀-ayé aráàlú tó rọrùn láti yí padà, níbi tí ìrántí iṣẹ́-ọ̀rọ̀ ti ń yípadà di iṣẹ́-ọnà ààyè ti ìmọ̀.
The Recognition
About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award
Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́ jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó tayọ tí wọ́n yàtọ̀ nípasẹ̀ ìṣẹ̀dá, àrékérekè àti ọgbọ́n inú. Àwọn olùborí Idẹ jẹ́ àwọn ohun èlò tó ní ìjáfáfá gan-an tí wọ́n sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá tó yani lẹ́nu tí wọ́n ń ṣe ẹ̀rí ìrírí gbígbòòrò, ìrònú àti ọgbọ́n àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́ yóò jẹ́ ohun tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó jẹ́ ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ nínú iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ jọ, ó sì tayọ nítorí àfiyèsí rẹ̀ sí àwọn àlàyé kékeré. Factory City To Education City Primary Function: Ilé Eré Olóríṣiríṣi Iṣẹ́ ń tẹ́ àwọn ohun tí a nílò lọ́rùn lọ́nà àgbàyanu, ó ń fọwọ́ kan àwọn ìfẹ́ inú, ó ń gbà ọkàn ó sì ń fa ìfẹ́ láti mọ̀ mọ́ra.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The project transforms an industrial social-services complex into a modular educational campus. Existing concrete buildings are reactivated through light interventions, while new steel structures house a theatre and multifunctional spaces. A connecting public spine integrates learning, culture, landscape, and civic life, turning industrial heritage into a flexible framework for knowledge production.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Approximate site area: 8,000 sq.m. The project consists of a theatre volume and a multifunctional educational building connected by semi open circulation. The theatre is approximately 15 m x 23 m x 16 m, using a long span steel roof structure. The multifunctional building is organized on three levels with modular structural bays. Main materials include existing reinforced concrete, steel framing, metal roof decking, insulation, waterproofing membrane, glazing, and perforated metal cladding.
- Tags
- adaptive reuse, industrial heritage, educational campus, modular steel structure, theatre design, multifunctional building, public space, civic architecture, Olivetti, Ivrea
- Production Technology
- The project is realized through a hybrid system of adaptive reuse and lightweight steel construction. Existing concrete structures are preserved and reactivated with minimal intervention, while new volumes use a modular steel frame, long span roof trusses, metal roof decking, insulated build-up roofing, and perforated metal cladding. The theatre integrates acoustic wall lining, suspended acoustic reflectors, lighting grids, sprinkler coordination, and mechanical ducts within a clear structural logic.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was to transform a historically industrial site into a contemporary educational and cultural campus without losing its original spatial identity. The design had to balance preservation and intervention, integrating existing concrete structures with new modular steel construction. Another key challenge was to create a clear relationship between theatre, learning spaces, and public circulation while maintaining flexibility, technical performance, and a strong civic character.
- Research
- The research investigates how industrial heritage can be transformed into a contemporary educational environment. It combines site analysis, historical study of Ivrea and the Olivetti legacy, program development, and architectural prototyping. The project studies adaptive reuse, modular steel construction, and spatial connectivity as strategies to integrate learning, performance, and public life within an existing industrial fabric.
- Inspiration
- The project is inspired by Ivrea's industrial legacy and the social vision of the Olivetti factory city. Rather than preserving the site as a static monument, the design explores how industrial structures can support contemporary education, culture, and public life. It draws from adaptive reuse, modular construction, and the transformation of production into knowledge.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed in 2026 as an architectural competition proposal for the Olivetti Theatre site in Ivrea, Italy. It explores the transformation of the former industrial context into a contemporary educational and cultural campus through adaptive reuse, modular construction, and public space integration.
- Operation Flow
- The project operates as a connected campus where learning, performance, and public life are brought together through a clear spatial sequence. Visitors move through open pathways, landscape platforms, and shared gathering spaces that link the existing buildings with the new theatre and multifunctional programs. This flow encourages informal interaction, flexible use, and a continuous relationship between education, culture, and civic activity.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Siyu Bai, Ying Bi, 2026.
- Team Members
- Ying Bi, Siyu Bai
- Image Credits
- Ying Bi, Siyu Bai
Sponsored
Explore Beyond Designers.org
Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.
More to Explore
Related Designs
Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.
