From industrial decline to urban catalyst

North-west of Udine’s historic city centre, a major urban regeneration project has been completed, restoring the city a site emblematic of its industrial heritage: the former Dormisch complex. The project represents a comprehensive recovery and enhancement operation of a long-neglected industrial site, combining historical memory, architectural innovation, and sustainability to create a new educational and cultural hub, complemented by a covered public square and hospitality and commercial spaces serving the wider community.

(Es Dormish Ph credits Marco Cappelletto)

F&M Ingegneria, a company specialising in integrated design solutions in engineering and architecture, was entrusted with overall coordination of the project, from integrated design through to construction management and site safety. This complex and multifaceted assignment was completed in just over two years and required close integration of technical, design, and management expertise.

The history of the former Dormisch area dates back to the late 19th century, when Francesco Dormisch founded the eponymous brewery and constructed the first production buildings near Porta Villalta. The location was strategically chosen: the Ledra canal provided the energy needed to power the industrial facilities. Over the following decades, the complex expanded in line with layered industrial development patterns, before entering a phase of gradual decline that ultimately led to its abandonment.

The regeneration project addressed the conservation and reinterpretation of the existing industrial heritage, transforming the historic buildings into spaces dedicated to education, culture, and social interaction. The interiors were redesigned to accommodate technologically advanced educational functions, flexible environments for cultural activities, and a large covered square conceived as a new urban focal point, reconnecting the complex with the surrounding urban fabric.

Particular attention was devoted to environmental and energy sustainability through advanced building services systems, the reuse of existing structures, optimisation of energy performance, and the use of materials consistent with the site's historical identity. The intervention goes beyond simple building refurbishment, redefining the entire area as a public space and making a tangible contribution to the urban and social regeneration of a strategic part of the city of Udine.

With the completion of the former Dormisch complex, Udine gains a new contemporary hub capable of linking past and future, industry and culture, reaffirming urban regeneration as a key driver for the sustainable development of cities.