The library designed by Richard Rogers stands at the heart of the H-Farm campus, an innovative incubator of ideas and educational center dedicated to the digital and high-tech sectors. It is located in the province of Treviso, in the countryside just a short distance from the Venetian lagoon.
Isoplam was selected and involved recommending the most suitable solution for quickly creating a large, high-traffic surface. This request gradually evolved into identifying a material that could also be used in other buildings, ultimately leading to the installation of over 27,000 sqm of flooring in newly constructed facilities dedicated to the campus’s collective activities (dining, coworking, etc.).
Isoplam proposed Deco Nuvolato, a specific quartz and additives powder that is incorporated into fresh concrete. In this project, the company took part in the intermediate stage of construction, when the floor slab is being cast and the building is covered but still lacks window and door frames.
High-performance seamless surfaces: the Deco Nuvolato system
The Deco Nuvolato process begins with the production of concrete at an external plant, following a formulation developed by Isoplam. Once on site, this concrete is poured to create the floor slab, and the powder product is applied on top. It is absorbed by the concrete through the natural process of water rising and evaporating. Once hardened, the surface is polished using a mechanical trowel (known as a “helicopter”). This polishing process can be repeated up to ten times until the desired level of quality is achieved. Hard-to-reach areas, such as corners and around openings, are finished by specialized personnel using small trowels or hand tools.
After laying, to enhance hardness, a densifier is applied two weeks later. It is worked into the surface using single-disc machines equipped with sponges, allowing it to penetrate the floor while also providing dust and stain protection. Finally, to prevent cracking, expansion joints are cut every 15–20 sqm.
The result is a highly uniform surface that allows for the rapid installation of large areas—up to 1,000 sqm per day—followed, about two weeks later, by the surface treatment.
Deco Nuvolato: surfaces as architectural canvases
What makes Deco Nuvolato unique is the quality of its mixture, with a perfectly balanced grain size that allows for extremely precise polishing. The surface is tailored to each specific space, enhancing a soft, natural look reminiscent of a painted finish.
Available in thirty-six colors, Deco Nuvolato was chosen in the Light Gray shade for the H-Farm Library and campus—a tone that stands out for its strong light-reflecting ability and its enhancement of large glass walls. Overall, the effect is a sense of expanded space, where the floor becomes a true exhibition surface that highlights whatever is placed on top, elevating furnishings to the level of art objects. The completed floor is extremely durable and, in the case of damage, can be repaired and retouched with color-matched compounds. However, the preferred approach is often to leave the signs of wear, emphasizing the passage of time and the lived experience of the space.
Roberto Zancan
Roberto Zancan, PhD, is a professor of history and theory of architecture at HEAD-Geneva (HES-SO). He has served as Deputy Editor of Domus, Chief Curator of the Inside the Academy Program for the BE OPEN Foundation, and Associate Researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Conservation and Regeneration of Urban Heritage at IUAV University of Venice and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. He is also the founder of the Ground Action group, whose work has been featured in the official sections of the Venice Biennale, Ljubljana Design Biennale, Lisbon Triennale, and Manifesta Marseille.
