The cooperative as a business model: a lecture at the University of Parma

If you were to start a company today, would you do it alone, as a partnership, or as a cooperative? 

CAIREPRO President Nello Tafuro opened his lecture at the University of Parma with this question, exploring the cooperative model and its organisational dynamics with students from the Business Administration course.

Founded in Reggio Emilia in 1947 as Europe’s first cooperative of intellectual professionals, CAIREPRO was presented as a case study to illustrate the evolution of a historic “startup”: a firm able to overcome the isolation of the individual professional through a multidisciplinary approach.

Cooperation was analysed as a business system: a balance in which the sharing of risks and expertise turns the collective into a solid and sustainable organisation.

It was stimulating to discuss with the students how doing business today can — and shouldbe based on the awareness that a group can generate a strength that the individual alone cannot achieve.” — Architect Nello Tafuro.

Special thanks to Professor Luca Fornaciari for hosting CAIREPRO within his course, and to Legacoop for the invitation to take part in this opportunity for discussion and reflection.

CAIREpeople #10 – Mouhammad El Bachir Ndiaye

In this new episode of CAIREpeople, Bachir takes us to Dakar, Senegal, at the headquarters of CAIREAFRICA, CAIREPRO’s subsidiary.

For Bachir, the comparison between Senegal and Italy highlights differences in methods and tools, within a context where architecture in Dakar is also evolving rapidly.

Among the most significant experiences is Makaan Oasis: a high-end project currently under construction, developed by CAIREPRO and CAIREAFRICA from architectural design through to site coordination.

Thank you, Bachir… or rather: Jërëjëf Bachir!

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Palazzo Poggi, Bologna: redevelopment of the historic complex

A project is currently in progress to reorganise the spaces and upgrade fire safety at Palazzo Poggi, the 16th-century complex that serves as the central headquarters of the University of Bologna.

A site of significant historical value, Palazzo Poggi is home to the Aula Carducci and the Museum of the Institute of Sciences.

The project combines heritage protection with functional upgrading, with particular attention to safety.

CAIREPRO is responsible for the architectural, building services and fire safety design — an area in which the firm has developed solid experience, including in protected heritage contexts — as well as the design of the new electrical and fire suppression systems.

New Ford Service Facility

The new Ford mechanical workshop of the Severi & Scorcioni SpA group has been inaugurated in Reggio Emilia.

CAIREPRO was involved in the renovation of the site across several areas: from detailed structural and building services design to contributions to the architectural definition, through to construction supervision.

The project concerned the redevelopment of an existing production space, redesigned to meet contemporary operational needs and support the evolution of the service facility in terms of efficiency, organisation and quality of work.

The intervention is part of a broader development path undertaken by the group, aimed at strengthening its connection with the local area, also through dialogue with vocational schools and the promotion of new skills and opportunities for young people entering the sector.

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CAIREpeople #9 – Sara Artioli: the discipline of dance in architectural work

For Sara Artioli, her passion for architecture began during her years at art school. At CAIREPRO, she works on public tenders, a role that requires precision, organisation and constant attention to deadlines.

Among the most challenging experiences, she recalls the tender for the nursery school in Racconigi, in the province of Cuneo: a project that required strong teamwork between the Tender Office and the project partners.

She has always cultivated another major passion: dance, which she has practised since childhood. An experience that has taught her technique, discipline and calm, qualities that also shape her approach to work.

In this episode of CAIREpeople, the focus is on her professional path and on the work behind public tender procedures.

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Memory, awareness, future: CAIREPRO supports Istoreco’s Holocaust Remembrance Journey

The 2026 edition of the Holocaust Remembrance Journey, known in Italy as the Viaggio della Memoria, has come to a close. Promoted by Istoreco Reggio Emilia for more than 25 years, the educational project accompanies around 1400 students and teachers each year on a journey of knowledge and reflection on twentieth-century history.

This year’s edition included visits to Prague and Terezín, key places within the system of Nazi domination in Europe.

“I took part in one of the trips organised by Istoreco: these experiences help keep dialogue between generations alive and strengthen historical awareness among younger people,” says Architect Mauro Nasi. “This is why CAIREPRO has chosen to support the initiative for the third consecutive year, recognising the importance of keeping memory alive.”

CAIREpeople #8 – Davide Albertini

“CAIREPRO is like a large theatre: as technicians, we are the actors. Sometimes in leading roles, sometimes in supporting ones. But everyone is essential to bringing the project to completion.”

Davide Albertini is an architect at CAIREPRO. His professional path began with restoration, a passion he developed during his university years.

Among the projects he recalls with particular interest is the restoration of the Mausoleum of Castel di Guido in Rome, one of the interventions carried out for the 2025 Jubilee. A complex project requiring sensitivity and attention: respecting the history of the building, understanding its layers and, at the same time, imagining a new life for the structure.

For Davide, this is what restoration means: a process of research and interpretation, in which every building preserves traces and stories that the project must be able to read and enhance.

In this episode of CAIREpeople, the focus is on his approach to architecture, shaped by curiosity, respect for history and an awareness of the value of teamwork.

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The Learning Village: designing a new educational space in West Africa

Designing a new educational environment for a rural community in West Africa: this is the challenge behind The Learning Village, the proposal developed by CAIREPRO and CAIREAFRICA for an international competition in the village of Djilakh, in the Thiès region of Senegal.

The concept envisions a campus organised around a shaded central square, from which the teaching pavilions and outdoor spaces for open-air learning are arranged.

The initiative is part of CAIREAFRICA’s activities, the Dakar-based company wholly owned by CAIREPRO and active since 2018 in the development of projects in Senegal and West Africa.

“This project was the result of intense teamwork within CAIREPRO’s architectural team,” says Architect Giulio Zanni. “The proposal was designed to respond to the local climate and context: deep verandas, natural ventilation and a construction system based on locally available materials and repeatable modules.”

Discover the project details

CAIREPeople #7 – Gabriele Zambelli

“Some people bring problems. Others bring solutions.”

This line reflects the approach of Gabriele Zambelli, CAIREPRO’s youngest partner.

His role requires a constant balance between technical rigour and human support: from managing safety on construction sites — including the complex renovation of Asti Hospital during the pandemic — to overseeing the firm’s IT infrastructure and certifications.

For Gabriele, “making things work” means building trust: of site professionals whose safety must be ensured on site, and of colleagues who need the right tools to express their full potential. 

This episode of CAIREpeople tells the story of a path shaped by responsibility, method and professional growth within CAIREPRO.

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New roles for a growing team

The growth of ongoing projects and the launch of new activities are leading to a further strengthening of CAIREPRO’s organisation, with the expansion of its technical team.

At this stage, three professional profiles are being considered for civil and/or industrial projects, in Italy and abroad:

  • BIM Specialist
  • Electrical Designer
  • Mechanical Designer

Ethics, aesthetics, technique: a culture of design.

Those who identify with this approach could become the next CAIREpeople.

Explore the open positions