Considering its scale, and the multiyear time frame, Progetto Manifattura is still in the early stages of a long journey. Major renovation work is yet to start and the new, green architecture is still just an architect’s dream. But, a few big steps have been taken and subtle moves behind the scenes are paving the way for big changes. One big outward sign of progress was the completion in June 2010 of the master plan, which laid the economic, social, and architectural groundwork for the project.

Coming up, December 2010 will see the arrival of the first three tenants of Manifattura: Green Building Council Italia, the Habitech cluster, and of course the head offices of Progetto Manifattura. Other important tenants will soon follow: including the Micrsosoft - University of Trento Center for Computational and Systems Biology, the MIT-FBK Green Home Alliance, and Istituto Tecnologico Trentino, a certification testing center for green products and processes. This early phase move-in is a very visible way to demonstrate progress at Manifattura.

The main goal here is to physically create the networking space for the core team and gradually build out the physical platform and the knowledge clusters. Not yet visible are the efforts to develop the spaces: selecting the firms who will prepare the detailed architectural plans, and creating an oversight group that will assure that the work proceeds according to plan.

Still other work concerns raising awareness about the project, creating interest in participating in the clusters in green building, renewable energy and environmental technologies. This effort has local, national, and international scope. The message for these audiences is similar even if the language varies. Locally speaking, the public and private sector will coalesce to form companies, research projects and quality labs.

Nationally, we want to attract companies that will set up offices and production facilities with the prospect of growing and staying in Rovereto. Internationally, we’re looking for know-how and the vision of a few key tenants that will distinguish Progetto Manifattura as a green hub with great possibilities for partnering. Reaching those objectives means convincing investors and managers that you have a winning proposition.

On that note, Progetto Manifattura has prepared a brochure that describes the advantages of the project and Trentino’s greentech ecosystem. In just a few pages, the brochure points out the main ideas, the facts, and the substance of a project that takes a longer view than we’re used to seeing. Most projects get financed for perhaps 3 years, 5 tops. Progetto Manifattura is looking outward 5 to 10 years, and staking its reputation on carving out a piece of the green technology sector. It is a long range view, but it’s a goal that’s well worth reaching.