R84

The way of eco-rebuilding in creativity

The story of R84 Multifactory starts in December 2013. In that month IES, Italiana Energia e Servizi spa, decides to close the extracting part of its refinery in Mantua, a Lombard city in the heart of the Po Valley. Two months later, the entire refining plant is shut down and only the logistics hub, that is the part used to store and distribute the products, remains active.

In June 2016 we also launch a Call for Projects to identify the initial group of pioneers who will start the multifactory. In September the initial group of companies that will start the project is constituted. It is agreed that the multifactory will be taken over by a trade association, formed by the companies belonging to the Multifactory itself. During the first few months, we all work together with the future members of the multifactory on the statutes and the forms of governance to be applied. 

On 31st January the association R84 is founded, on 21st February the contract between IES and R84 is signed, on 2nd March members receive the keys to their spaces. Thus R84 Multifactory is born.

R84 Multifactory covers a large area called “ICIP villas”, consisting of green spaces and six buildings, once a mixture of residences, warehouses and workshops formerly used by the workers of the refinery.

These spaces are now used as offices, studios and laboratories by around 40 professionals, craftspeople, artists and small entrepreneurs.

R84 Multifactory Mantova is part of the project to renovate the eastern suburbs of Mantua and is part of an extensive urban renewal project, aimed at regenerating a place with special characteristics, since the conversion of a former refinery is an extremely challenging task. On one side, there are very strict constraints, imposed by various agencies and public bodies because of the strategic value and for environmental reasons. These are areas that have been heavily transformed during the years, with substantial pollution in the actual “production” areas, which remain inaccessible and dangerous even after the refinery has been shut down. Then there is a social issue, because of the image that a refinery carries and because of the thousands of negative stories that are remembered in the city linked to those places. But there are also a thousand positive memories, stories to tell, and emotions to express.

R84 members

VILLETTA 27:

  • Il Platano s.r.l. // Azienda agricola. 
  • Erbaluna // Sonia Tabai
  • AB Impianti// Alessio Bastianelli.
  • Il Giardino dei Viandanti// Cooperativa sociale ONLUS
  • Giuseppina Lanfredi// Counselor professionista
  • Carrozzeria Orfeo // Compagnia Teatrale
  • Fortunato Andreani // Consulente ambientale
  • Jenny Favari // Insegnante di Ikebana
  • Elisa Fasanelli // Biologa Nutrizionista
  • MG7 Italy s.r.l. // Società di importexport Italia/Brasile
  • Osun WES. s.r.l.

VILLETTA 28

  • MATER//Cooperativa di Tagesmutter
  • Francesco Testi // Graphic Designer
  • Area Blu//Studio di psicologia
  • CSES//Research study

VILLETTA 29

  • Coll.a // Collettivo Artistico
  • Davide Bregola // Scrittore e burattinaio
  • Studio Meraki// Studio di fotografia di Anna Volpi e Chiara Maretti
  • Micro MACRO// Gianluca Ongaro
  • David Kelly // Traduttore editoriale
  • Atelier Flora Rabitti // Stilista e ambientalista