Concerns Mount Over Potential Closure of Milan's Historic Hoepli Building by Figini and Pollini

Concerns are mounting over the possible closure of Milan's Hoepli bookstore and publishing house, a culturally significant structure completed in 1959 and designed by Luigi Figini and Gino Pollini. This building, characterized by its pink Baveno granite and a grand double-height portico, is integral to a vital city block reconstructed after the devastation of wartime bombings. The loss of the bookstore would significantly impact its cultural role. Future developments must honor the building's original features. While Milan showcases successful restorations, such as the Pirelli skyscraper, it also has examples of less favorable transformations, like that of a Gio Ponti structure. Other Modernist buildings remain at risk, but Milan's Territorial Government Plan could help ensure quality interventions for the Hoepli site.