The rather unattractive post office of the 1950s was converted into a passive house to be used as an administration building. The addition of two more stories improved its size, also in relation to the surrounding area. Next to the elegant station tower, the stairwell of this old building no longer fit in and was covered with solar panel elements during the conversion. The bulky body of the building was brought to life through various window designs, which allow for an interplay of shadow and light. The 3% extra costs spent on energy-saving technology for the building has paid itself within five years: this gold low-energy house only costs 45 euro per worker on heating, as opposed to the 270 euro buildings in category C pay. This is, in fact, the first office block in Italy that meets passive house standards. The interior, with its wide corridors for special uses, is light and friendly, using only the simplest materials.
The play of the window frames on the original repetitive perforated façade gives more illumination to the lower space and structural shading to the upper one. The lateral reveals allow for individualized views.