In Pompeii, Maximall’s achievement of sustainability is great news for the largest shopping center in southern Italy, which offers a new way to enjoy entertainment and shopping with a strong green footprint.
The Pompeii Film Festival, which took place from June 3 to 8, held screenings of the films in competition at the Maximall Pompeii multiplex, which opened last December.
Still fresh from its inauguration, Maximall Pompeii in Torre Annunziata is once again making headlines. The largest shopping center in southern Italy has obtained an environmental certification of excellence. It is BREEAM New Construction, one of the most authoritative international standards for assessing the environmental performance of buildings. The recognition, obtained thanks to the synergy between OGB STUDIO and Manens S.p.A., has a very strong value: thanks to the integrated approach of the project, complex elements such as the exceptional size and the multiplicity of operators involved were overcome. The validity of the model applied has been recognized by the international rating system that measures efficiency in the use of energy and water resources, waste management, raw materials, and indoor environmental quality.
Among the most appreciated solutions is the architectural idea that replicates, in a modern key, the social spaces of ancient Pompeii. The external pedestrian axis, where the fountain, the external square, and the internal multimedia square are located, represents an ideal new Via dell’Abbondanza, which offers views of the sea and Vesuvius. The public park surrounding the buildings is completed by a series of green hills planted with vegetation to screen out noise and protect against heat islands. A green roof has been created, offering a privileged view of Ischia, Capri, and Vesuvius. Finally, considerable attention has been paid to the seismic design of the complex’s buildings.
“This project highlights the importance of collaborating with visionary clients, translating ambitious sustainable goals into concrete results,” commented Riccardo Hopps, Co-CEO and Founding Partner of OGB STUDIO. Paolo Negri, Founder and CEO of IrgenRE Group, spoke of “a promise come true, a huge opportunity that will have a positive impact on the social and employment fabric of the vast area. We can expect the creation of around 1,500 jobs. But given that this is a highly populated area, and given our conviction that the project will be a success, we do not rule out higher numbers.”
Even the choice of the site, Negri points out, was not random, “but supported by a study commissioned from Caci, an internationally renowned company specializing in feasibility assessments, which recognizes the MaxiMall Pompeii project’s potential to achieve exciting numbers, namely around 12 million visitors and over €350 million in turnover in the first year alone.”
Built by the IrgenRE group with an investment of €200 million, the complex covers a total of 200,000 m² (of which 42,500 m² is commercial space). Located just 600 meters from the archaeological park of Pompeii, based on an architectural concept that reinterprets the structure of ancient Pompeii in a modern key, it houses 170 brands, including shops and food outlets, spread over two levels with a glass roof that offers an experience similar to an outdoor walk.
A 4-star Marriot hotel, the first in southern Italy, a 1,000-seat auditorium, a 7-screen multiplex cinema, conference facilities, restaurants, event squares, a 50,000 m² green park, and a panoramic jogging track.
Future initiatives include an educational area to bring Pompeii back to life before 79 AD through augmented reality. According to estimates, Maximall Pompeii could reach 12 million visitors and over €350 million in turnover in its first year.
The center also represents an example of the promotion of Made in Italy, for the rebirth of the area thanks to the design by Design International and the technical design by iDEAS.
