Merck Serono S.p.A. is a pharmaceutical company based in the industrial district of Bari, and specializes in the production of medicinal drugs for the treatment of diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, development and thyroid disorders. The extension of the plant, which is the subject of our intervention, aims to increase the company’s production capacity through the construction of two new buildings: a production building called B34 and an office building called B33. One of the first interventions focuses the connection of the new B34 building to the existing one by means of a three-storey building, designed to take advantage of all internal horizontal and vertical paths.

The bearing structure of the entire building will be made of reinforced concrete; the walls of the first level will be made of reinforced concrete panels, thermally insulated, and painted in the same beige colour and with the same finish of the existing B24 building. The façade of the first level will be created with a metal carpentry frame, to which sandwich panels masked by pre-painted aluminium slats are fitted. All the metal carpentry, panels, flashings and joint covers will be painted brown to create a seamless aesthetic with the existing building.

The B33 building will be constructed on an area currently used as a street and internal parking, alongside a part over an area currently occupied by temporary prebuilt structures for business offices. The building will be composed of a basement used as general production dressing rooms, two floors above ground and a top level, used partly as a roof and as a control room.

The building will have a rectangular shape, located next to existing buildings, and its bearing structure will be made of precast concrete components. The basement will be bordered by reinforced cove joint concrete walls, protected by waterproof sheathing, while the top level, which houses the control rooms, will be made exclusively of metal carpentry with sandwich panel infill.