Naples' Spazio Obù: From Monastery to Cultural Hub

In Naples, the Fondazione Terzoluogo is transforming the former 16th-century convent of Sant'Anna a Capuana into Spazio Obù, a 3,800-square-meter intergenerational cultural hub. The project, led by architecture firm GNOSIS Progetti (known for 'building contemporary within the built'), involves restoration and urban regeneration. Acquired from the municipality in 2023 via public auction, the space will feature a library, artist and student residencies, a café, workshops for ages 0-99, two terraces, and a public courtyard. By March 2025, 800 square meters of the ground floor opened, hosting a children's atelier and training space, with activities like family play, movement readings, electronic music, and 'Borgo Futuro'—a photography project for teens aged 14-24. Director Lorenzo Scirocco emphasizes community integration, citing collaborations with events like COMICON. The convent, bombed in the 20th century and later used as a courthouse archive, carpentry workshop, and ceramics storage, retains a direct protection order from the Soprintendenza. Architect Gianluca Donadeo notes the discovery of unknown rooms during restoration. The foundation, founded in 2019, also operates in Milan's San Siro district, developing Cascina Case Nuove. Full completion is expected by September 2027, with a public-private management model.