In the heart of Trentino, within the cavities of an active mine, a revolutionary project is taking shape, set to redefine the concept of a data center. It is called Intacture – The Natural Home of Data, and it is the first example in Europe, perhaps even in the world, of a data storage and management infrastructure built within the empty spaces created by mining activity. Designed by the integrated architecture and engineering firm In-Site, led by architect Pietro Matteo Foglio, the project is a paradigm of sustainability and innovation, born from a public competition promoted by the University of Trento and realized in partnership with the private sector.
The decision to locate Intacture within an active mine is a concrete response to the need to reduce the environmental impact of traditional data centers, which are notoriously energy-intensive and cumbersome. The unique characteristics of the underground environment offer numerous advantages, including physical and electromagnetic protection, as the natural rock provides a secure barrier against extreme weather events and electromagnetic interference; natural cooling, as the absence of direct sunlight and the constant temperature of the mine significantly reduce energy consumption for server cooling; controlled accessibility, ensuring greater security by limiting entry; and the recovery of unused spaces, transforming abandoned extraction volumes into functional environments, avoiding further land consumption, and contributing to territorial regeneration.
Intacture is not just a data management infrastructure—it aims to become a hub for knowledge dissemination and advanced technologies. Its academic vocation has been evident since its inception, with an open approach to the local community, offering spaces for events, workshops, and collaborations with students and researchers.
“Our goal is to create a space that is not only functional but also interacts with the land and its people,” says architect Pietro Matteo Foglio. “Intacture represents a model of a sustainable data center that integrates technological innovation with environmental respect.”
The project leverages existing mining activity to sustain a virtuous production cycle. The mine is currently used for the extraction of dolomite and natural hydraulic lime, materials that are directly employed in constructing the infrastructure itself. The concrete produced on-site drastically reduces CO₂ emissions related to transportation and fosters a resource circularity-based construction system.
The entire complex is structured on two levels, with an underground area that makes up 80% of the structure, housing the server rooms, which benefit from the natural protection and cooling provided by the mine, and a surface area that includes technical buildings, administrative offices, a multifunctional campus, and green spaces equipped for the community.
The vertical link between these two levels is the “fornello”, a structure that ensures functional connections and efficient air exchange for natural cooling.
Intacture stands out for its dual identity: on the one hand, it is a secure and resilient digital fortress; on the other, it is a place for interaction and knowledge exchange. The goal is to go beyond the traditional image of a data center as a closed, inaccessible space, promoting a model where technology is deeply intertwined with both the environment and the community.
Thanks to the synergy between public and private sectors and the innovative vision of In-Site, Intacture offers a concrete response to the challenges of contemporary digitalization, presenting a sustainable and intelligent alternative for data management.
In an era where technology is increasingly pervasive, the future of data centers may lie underground—within the heart of the rock—in a perfect balance between nature and innovation.
For more info: www.intacture.it
