Italian architects firm Archiplanstudio has completed the transformation of a 16th-century building housing a hydraulic water pump into an eco-museum and visitor attraction.

The Bondanello Chiavicone, near the northern Italian city of Mantua, was originally built in 1589 to prevent water running down from the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Modena from flooding the area.

Work on the building – which first began in 2009 – included the complete renovation of the historic structure and the addition of a new corten steel volume.

"The covering in corten was the last phase of the renovation of Chiavicone Bondanello," Archiplanstudio said in a statement.

"The building was partly reconstructed in the 1960s to repair a partial collapse caused by a river overflow.

"We've added a new reticular steel structure with polycarbonate wall to replace the volume that was destroyed.

"The perception of the facades is dynamic and changes from every different angles, emphasising the historical facade, the relation with the contemporary intervention and also the strength of the oxidised steel.

"The polycarbonate wall works like a lamp during the night, highlighting the social function of the building and make it a signal in the landscape.

"Inside there is a multi-use space housing an environment-focused visitor centre and eco-museum."