On Saturday, 20 September 2025, the Thermal Forum in Abano Terme (Padua, Italy) was inaugurated, a new tensile structure rising from the ashes of the historic Magnolia Theatre, located within the Urban Thermal Park.
This multifunctional space was created based on the values that guided Incide throughout its design: urban regeneration, inclusion, and accessibility. Every design choice aims to eliminate walls and boundaries, giving the city back an open, welcoming, and relational public space where citizens of all ages and tourists can meet, play, stop for refreshments, or watch a show.
The common thread that invites visitors to explore the park is water, an element that recalls the Abano Thermal Baths and embodies a line, a natural guide that accompanies people along the path, symbolising continuity between the theatre and the surrounding area.
The project promotes slow mobility, social interaction and intergenerational participation, thanks to spaces where children, young people and the elderly can interact with each other and with the urban context.
In the Thermal Forum, the designer therefore takes on a concrete responsibility towards the city and the territory, interpreting his role as a social mediator in translating these values into a tangible project capable of stimulating a sense of community and culture, breaking down previous barriers and strengthening respect for the public good.
The opening ceremony that marked the start of the Thermal Forum’s activities saw large participation from the city’s residents and was covered by major newspapers such as Il Gazzettino di Padova and television news programmes such as TG3 Veneto, which reported on the importance of the project for the city.
‘I cannot hide my excitement today,’ said Federico Barbierato, mayor of Abano Terme. ‘It is a project that takes your breath away when you see it. We have created a different, larger and more functional place, a driver of urban regeneration that will enhance the entire area.” The mayor also emphasised the open and welcoming nature of the structure, which reflects the city’s thermal heritage, with architectural elements inspired by the journey of water and integration with the surrounding landscape.
Ugo Tombacco from Incide, designer and Art Director of the project, states: “Talking about architecture often means drawing boundaries, defining perimeters. But it’s in the limits and in questioning them that space opens up for innovation, for community, for the future. Thermal Forum becomes a point of reference precisely because it has been able to be more than just a place: it’s an economic, social, cultural and intergenerational project. A city that rejects the idea of boundaries and is instead based on connection and shared responsibility. This project is the result of teamwork between Incide and the municipal administration, and its common denominator is the desire to be bold, to step outside our comfort zone to achieve something concrete for everyone. We chose to work on borders not to reinforce them, but to transform them into value for the future. Because today more than ever, it’s necessary to look at the present with an eye to what is to come. Ultimately, it all boils down to this: what meaning do we want to give to the time and place in which we live?
The €3.7 million investment, partly funded by the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), has created this space of over 5,000 square metres, capable of hosting up to 600 spectators for theatre performances, concerts, cultural events and conferences.
The new urban landmark for culture, socialising and entertainment features a sinuous roof, reminiscent of a cloud but also the profile of the Euganean Hills. Supported by a lattice structure, it offers unexpected scenic views, especially in the evening when illuminated at night. The auditorium interacts fluidly with the urban park, creating a flexible space that can be adapted to different scenarios. Spaces have also been designed for dressing rooms, storage, bars and services, with careful integration into the landscape and sustainability.
From international experience to the heart of Abano, a new symbol for the community
The design of the Thermal Forum was carried out entirely by Incide, which took a multidisciplinary approach to every stage of the project: from the architectural and structural design to the electrical and mechanical systems and hydraulic safety.
With international experience in entertainment venues, including projects such as the Seine Musicale in Paris (Shigeru Ban), the Paris Défense Arena and the Grand Théâtre in Rabat (Zaha Hadid), Incide was able to translate the administration’s guidelines into a work of strong architectural and social impact, destined to stand the test of time.
The creation of the Thermal Forum is the result of consolidated know-how, the fruit of innovative parametric design that has made it possible to fully interpret the client’s needs in a work that combines local identity and architectural innovation, strengthening the link between the city and its thermal park.
