A buzzing innovation hub
History & architecture
NOI began in 2017 on the former location of Alumix, Bolzano’s aluminium plant. At its peak, the plant supplied two-thirds of the national demand for aluminium and consumed as much electricity as South Tyrol uses today. So it is a good place to tap into energy. For South Tyrol’s development.
1937
The Montecatini Group begins operating the INA (Industria Nazionale Aluminia) factory with 100 workers. The architecture, a masterpiece of Italian Rationalism, draws on the Bauhaus architectural style. The fascist regime invests massively in the industrialisation of Bolzano.
1940
A second production line is launched, Bolzano 2, with a transformer house and three halls for melting furnaces (now known as A2). The war requires a constant supply of resources, and the workforce increases to 900 employees.
1945
Due to the war, the production of aluminium in Bolzano is reduced to a minimum. The raw material alumina is in short supply. The railway track is damaged, and only a few freight trains get through.
1950-1960
An economic boom and faith in progress take hold: production peaks at 50,000 tonnes per year.
1978
Montecatini flounders. Not even a merger with Montedison can save the company. Both production lines are closed.
1991
The factory is sold to Alumix AG. It is the last of many changes in ownership. Short-lived. After Alumix goes bankrupt, the province of South Tyrol takes over.
2004
The Bolzano 1 and Bolzano 2 transformer buildings and the water tower are listed as historical monuments.
2008
Art moves into the ex-Alumix industrial relic: the area serves as the venue for the European Biennale for Contemporary Art ‘Manifesta 7’. In the same year, the offices of Chapman Taylor (London) and Claudio Lucchin (Bolzano) win the competition to redevelop the ex-Alumix site.
2015
Construction on NOI Techpark begins. The process is an innovative dialogue with the historical context. Signum is a black monolith where businesses, a university and research institutes interact.
2017
NOI Techpark opens with buildings A1, A2 and A4.
2019
The extension building D1 and the day-care centre (A3) are completed.
2021
The B5 building (laboratories of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano) is finished.
2022
Building A6 (Institute for Biomedicine of Eurac Research and SABES) is inaugurated.
2023
A milestone: NOI Techpark’s Brunico location is opened.
2024
The engineering faculty of unibz moves into the new B1 building. The two extension buildings D2 and D3 are completed.