What will be the landscape and architectural impact of an experiment like the Einstein Telescope (ET) on the territory that will host it? This issue may seem secondary compared to other types of fallouts generally associated with large research infrastructures, such as the scientific-technological or socio-economic impacts. However, in light of the growing focus on environmental sustainability and the evolution in the design of educational and scientific spaces, it is now clear to professionals that the construction of a large-scale scientific experiment cannot overlook, from the design stage, a careful evaluation of the landscape context in which it will be placed, as well as the study of architectural solutions complementary to the territory and local communities.
It is no coincidence that one of the research groups active in the NRRP ETIC project – whose goal is to characterize the candidate site of Sos Enattos in Nuoro – is working on developing models to study the territory that could host ET, in the area around the former Sos Enattos mine and the broader region between the municipalities of Lula, Bitti and Onanì. The group, led by Massimo Faiferri and composed of researchers with expertise in territorial, architectural, and technological design, has established the Architecture and Territory Laboratory (Lab AT) for the Einstein Telescope project, based at the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Cagliari.
The starting point for the research carried out by the laboratory is a thorough analysis of the existing context, aiming to define strategies for the surface architecture of ET that are consistent with ongoing feasibility studies. «The future scenario of the ET project in the Sos Enattos area is that of a large scientific park, extending to the territorial scale. The possible spatial configurations of this system can be studied and interpreted by considering the evolution of the concept of a “campus” and its architecture», highlights Marco Moro, an ETIC researcher from Lab AT and the University of Cagliari. «In recent years, it has been understood that the concept of infrastructure goes beyond its functional and utilitarian connotation, embracing the public sphere. Therefore, a scientific infrastructure like ET must be a discrete, widespread, and inclusive system capable of establishing an identity-based relationship with the territory that hosts it».
One of the most distinctive aspects of the Einstein Telescope is that it will be an underground project, which implies the need to establish effective connections between the “underground world” and the “above-ground world”. «It is important to imagine what forms the structures necessary for researchers will take, but also how and to what extent the underground infrastructure will influence the dynamics of the surface territories and what the consequences might be for the communities living in this area», explains Stefano Mais, also an ETIC researcher from Lab AT and the University of Cagliari. «ET could represent a great opportunity for the region if the complementarity between the construction of highly specialized research infrastructure and their openness to local communities and territories is recognized. Beyond its strictly scientific and technological role, the ET project presents an exceptional opportunity for urban and territorial regeneration, thus becoming a driving force for future strategies for enhancing the landscape and cultural heritage of the area».
In conclusion, the goal of the laboratory is to develop architectural solutions capable of “fostering dialogue” (in every sense) in the best possible way between the ET scientists, the territory, and the local communities. «Today more than ever, knowledge is produced and spread even outside the traditional spaces historically designated for this function», Moro continues. «Our team envisions that a significant portion of the surface infrastructure related to ET activities will be dedicated to knowledge exchange between the scientific community and the general public. The residents of nearby towns and the entire region will have opportunities for education and alternative training in a landscape of the highest value».
In the short term, the research group’s work is particularly focused on the ET-SUnLab (Einstein Telescope Sardinia Underground Laboratory) project, which involves the creation of a reception center and new research laboratories in the occupied area of the former RI.MI.SA. building, now the site of the SAR-GRAV laboratory in the Sos Enattos area, along with the construction of a multidisciplinary underground laboratory. SUnLab will host research and development activities for the Einstein Telescope and low-noise physics experiments, as well as a geophysical observatory for studying the geodynamics of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Earth’s internal structures. Moreover, the facility will become a reference center for outreach projects aimed at schools and professional training. The timeline of the project – launched in December 2023 thanks to the initiative of the National institute for nuclear physics (INFN), National institute for astrophysics (INAF) and National institute for geophysics and volcanology (INGV), with funding from the Sardinia Region and collaboration with the Universities of Cagliari and Sassari – includes the start of construction in 2025, with completion expected by 2026.
To learn more, watch the interviews with Stefano Mais e Marco Moro on the ET Italy YouTube channel.
- ET-SUnLab Rendering
- ET-SUnLab Rendering (indoor)
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