Folded City: Centergross Fashion Hub Renewal

Fashion has become an increasingly global phenomenon, where speed, accessibility, and constant renewal define the industry. Located along major international transportation routes in Bologna, Italy, Centergross is widely recognized as the capital of European fast fashion. Spanning nearly one million square meters and hosting over 700 companies, 6,000 workers, and 10,000 daily visitors, it functions as a dynamic fashion citadel where design, production, and commerce converge.

After more than forty years of operation, the original service complex—an approximately one-kilometer-long strip containing restaurants, offices, wellness spaces, and retail services—remains functional but no longer reflects the scale and cultural significance of this global fashion hub. The project proposes a comprehensive architectural renewal that transforms the aging infrastructure into a contemporary landmark capable of representing the vitality of the fast-fashion industry.

The design concept is inspired by folded leather, a material closely associated with the craft and identity of fashion. Through a series of spatial prototypes derived from different folding techniques, the architecture generates a dynamic sequence of spaces that accommodate diverse programs across the complex. These include exhibition halls and runway spaces for fashion presentation, “mixing rooms” for buyers and designers to interact, production workshops, and office spaces for trade and management.

Strategically placed open plazas divide the long linear structure into multiple urban nodes. These public spaces reconnect the fashion center with surrounding factories and the city, improving circulation while attracting visitors into the district. The intervention transforms the previously isolated service corridor into an active urban spine.

As one of the most influential fast-fashion centers in the world, Centergross carries not only economic power but also cultural responsibility. This project redefines the fashion hub as a driver of urban vitality—an architectural landmark that reflects the speed, creativity, and global influence of contemporary fashion.