Pioneering clean energy: nuclear through design
Pininfarina Architecture showcases newcleo’s values and next-generation reactor, which creates clean, affordable energy through a virtuous system of multi-recycling waste from traditional nuclear plants.
Pininfarina Architecture has collaborated with the startup newcleo and Fincantieri to bring to the Corderie dell’Arsenale an exhibition that showcases new sustainable alternatives offered by next-generation nuclear energy. Through the studio’s design perspective, the three partners deliver an immersive experience that guides visitors through a sensory installation and a full-scale model of a reactor.
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The creative concept, developed by Pininfarina Architecture, leads the public on a three-part journey: the discovery of the reactor, an understanding of the reactor core’s process, and a final installation exploring the values and vision of newcleo and Fincantieri.
The 1:1 scale replica of the TL-40 lead-cooled mini-reactor introduces visitors to a compact, safe, and sustainable technology. Developed by newcleo – an innovative nuclear energy company founded in 2021 – these reactors are designed to eliminate waste from traditional nuclear plants through a virtuous multi-recycling system that burns existing spent fuel to generate clean, cost-effective, and practically inexhaustible energy. Additionally, the use of an innovative lead-based cooling system provides passive safety mechanisms that effectively remove the risk of nuclear accidents.
The reactor’s design, led by Pininfarina Architecture for newcleo, is inspired by three main principles: the need to house the 1.8-meter-high reactor core, a minimalist form, and a moiré effect that lends lightness to the structure. About 5.5 meters tall and weighing over 2,000 kg, the reactor’s silhouette recalls a large vessel. Its fiberglass shell features a slatted pattern that produces the desired moiré effect, enhances the design lines, and plays with light and shadow. A section of the model is left open, allowing visitors to view the core directly, while an immersive projection explains the principles and processes behind nuclear energy production.
Completing the experience is an interactive data visualization installation, developed with Accurat, that helps visitors understand the effectiveness of nuclear energy in decarbonizing maritime transport, as well as the untapped potential of Europe’s existing nuclear waste – sufficient to meet the continent’s electricity demand for hundreds of years.
Through this installation, the partner companies offer an innovative, unprecedented, and forward-thinking perspective on nuclear energy – one that breaks away from outdated narratives. They invite the public to forget what they think they know about nuclear power and instead explore the opportunities it offers in fighting climate change and reducing human impact on the planet. As an example, just 35 grams of radioactive waste can generate enough energy to meet one person’s lifetime electricity needs.
The project is a statement of intent, designed to engage visitors with a controversial topic through a formative and experiential approach that equips them with the tools to understand the true potential of this form of energy.
“With this installation, we’re showing the world a new paradigm of clean and sustainable nuclear energy – designed to serve people and communities. No longer the massive reactors of the past, but small, inherently safe units that eliminate the waste problem while providing large amounts of decarbonized energy. Together with Pininfarina and Fincantieri, we’re launching a new vision for nuclear power, tailored to future societies that value progress and planetary care.” says Stefano Buono, founder and CEO of newcleo.
The joint team is already working together to bring their shared vision to life: since 2023, Fincantieri and newcleo have been exploring the application of this technology for naval propulsion, while Pininfarina is involved in the design of an industrial R&D center for nuclear fuel, which will be built in Chusclan, in the Gard region of France.
