PRATIC 2.0 A PRODUCTIVE COMPLEX ENLARGEMENT IN FAGAGNA, UDINE, ITALY BY GEZA GRI E ZUCCHI ARCHITETTURA

The Pratic Headquarters is a contemporary industrial complex where architecture, landscape, and production are seamlessly integrated. Designed as a dialogue between earth and sky, light and shadow, the project redefines industrial architecture by creating a constant visual and spatial connection between interior and exterior environments. The campus includes offices, showrooms, research labs, production facilities, warehouses, and employee wellness spaces, all unified through carefully designed open areas, landscaped embankments, and controlled views. Completed in two phases (2011 and 2018), the headquarters has become a landmark within its natural and industrial context, demonstrating how functional buildings can enhance their surroundings.

The 2018 expansion doubles the production capacity while maintaining architectural coherence through simplicity and efficiency. The new 9,000 sqm volume extends the existing structure with a minimalist approach defined by rhythmic window patterns and a reflective polycarbonate façade. This innovative skin mirrors the sky and landscape, creating a dynamic, ever-changing appearance that shifts with light and weather conditions. The contrast between the original solid, grounded structure and the lighter, reflective extension establishes a strong visual identity, blending permanence with transformation. Advanced façade technology ensures both aesthetic impact and performance, reinforcing the project’s sustainability and energy efficiency.

The original 2011 complex is characterized by clean geometric volumes and a strong relationship with the surrounding agricultural landscape near Udine. Its design emphasizes simplicity, with a production building featuring vertical façades of alternating glass and solid panels, and an office volume oriented toward the highway to create a recognizable architectural presence. A large horizontal concrete beam provides solar protection while enhancing the building’s interaction with light and shadow. Outdoor spaces, including gardens, pedestrian paths, and integrated parking, further strengthen the connection between nature and workplace, improving user experience and environmental quality.

Overall, the project illustrates how modern industrial design can go beyond functionality to deliver high-quality work environments, sustainable performance, and a strong relationship with nature. By combining innovative materials, parametric thinking, and landscape integration, the Pratic Headquarters stands as a benchmark for contemporary industrial architecture, workplace well-being, and environmentally responsive design.
 

Location    Fagagna, Udine  
Client    Pratic F.lli Orioli Spa  
 
Design phase: 2016
Construction: 02.2017 / 04.2018
   
Intervention area: 30.000 sqm
Production: 7.520 sqm
Offices and services: 730 sqm
Loading area: 1.800 sqm
Landscape: 22.000 sqm
parking lot: 70 places
 
Architecture and landscape design
GEA Gri e Zucchi Architettura srl  > www.geza.it
arch. Stefania Anzil (project manager)
arch. Alessia Dorigo
arch. Matteo Compri
arch. Elisa Mansutti
 
Structural design    Ing. A. Nutta, Nuttassociati  
Mechanical and electrical design    E4F Srl  
Acoustic comfort advice    Studio Musolla  

Contractors    
Pre-Systems Spa (prefabricated structure)
Slurry Srl (landscape and building works)
Vaportermica Commerciale Srl (Mechanical plants)
Impresa Tonon Spa (Electrical plants)
Pavarin F.lli Snc (Window frames and facade cladding)
Iron+ Srl (carpentry works)
Multitema Srl (Interior finishings and furniture)
Adotta Italia Srl (System walls)

Photographer    Javier Callejas