Parco Innovazione is located in the north of the city, in the area previously occupied by Officine Meccaniche Reggiane. This abandoned industrial area is an important chapter in Italian industrial history, with a strong symbolic value for the identity of Reggio Emilia. Officine Meccaniche Reggiane (Reggiane OMI) was once the fourth largest Italian factory after Fiat, Breda and Ansaldo, and from the early years of the 20th century played a key role in the industrialisation of Reggio Emilia.
The area is spread out close to the old town and the university campus, 1.5 km from the Mediopadana high-speed rail station and the A1 motorway tollbooth. It borders on the original rail station and the airport.
The area is already home to a number of outstanding hubs that are the first elements of the Parco Innovazione:
- Reggio Emilia Technopole (Technical hub for industrial research and technology transfer), created in Shed 19 of Officine Reggiane and part of the High Technology Network of the Emilia-Romagna Region,
- Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, a laboratory that adopts the “Reggio Emilia Approach”, a project and educational philosophy that has inspired schools all over the world.
The strategic position, the infrastructures and the presence of outstanding hubs and functions make the area ideal for investment and for developing a company’s mission.
