Milan, City of cultures. David Chipperfield
Project type
The aim of the programme is to create a new museum complex to house the Centre of Non-European Cultures, the CASVA Visual Arts Study Centre, the Archaeological Museum, the new cinema school and the new premises of the Colla brothers' marionette workshop, as well as restaurants and a bookshop.
The urban context is a large area that was once given over to agriculture which, over the years, was replaced by council housing, industrial buildings, public buildings and railway lines.
As well as reclaiming existing spaces, Chipperfield `s project envisages creating a new space to replace the run-down and less important buildings.
In particular, the project aims to reclaim the line of buildings along via Tortona, which will keep their industrial appearance. A further objective is to have new access along this street through entrances along a reinforced concrete arcade.
The new building will house the Centre of Non-European Cultures. This is a mass that evidently contrasts with the surrounding buildings and is developed around a central translucent structure. This large, transparent, glass building is the fulcrum of the entire work and is characterised by the lack of a real façade, as the walls of the building seem the façade of the internal square. It is these that orientate and guide the visitor. This square will be a king of great hall through which the public move towards the different exhibition spaces ma The spaces will be accessible without necessarily having to enter the museums.
The walls are made of a double layer of translucent glass, house the system of walkways and will also be used as a projection screen and to display the museum collections.
As well as this transparent heart, the work is also characterised by the decision to preserve the original character of the pre-existing buildings and especially those linked to an industrial function, such as the metal shutters and the use of concrete for the floors.
From an architectural point of view, the solutions adopted are extremely flexible, in order to allow the structure to adapt to the needs and functions of the different environments.
The work has a total surface area of around 36 thousand square metres.
Laura Della Badia
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