Energy positive, timber framed and open to the public – Nexus Terrae is the winning proposal for the new headquarters of Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, set in the historic EUR district of Rome. Designed as a symbol of environmental leadership, the project represents a new model for government architecture in Italy – one that embodies the nation’s environmental ambitions through transparency, innovation and civic engagement.

The design brings together workplace, landscape and community in a single, interconnected whole. Organised within two cross-laminated larch volumes, the 30,000m² building integrates seamlessly into EUR’s monumental urban fabric while reinterpreting its rational geometry through a contemporary sustainable lens. A biophilic ground floor brings nature into the building, creating a continuous civic terrain of greenery, light and social space. At its centre, a dramatic vertical atrium filled with vegetation and daylight connects all levels, fostering openness, visibility and collaboration. Above, a rooftop terrace shaded by a timber canopy embedded with photovoltaics both produces renewable energy and offers a panoramic space overlooking the city.

With a façade expressed through travertine and glass, Nexus Terrae stands as a beacon of Italy’s environmental leadership and a landmark for a more sustainable civic architecture. It continues PLP’s work in redefining institutional architecture through sustainability – following the National Meteorological Center in South Korea, the government’s first net-zero building. Together, these projects demonstrate how architecture can help governments lead by example, creating demonstrators that educate, inspire and act as lasting symbols of environmental commitment.