Adriano Olivetti: The Patron Who Shaped Italian Architecture
Adriano Olivetti, though he wasn't a trained architect, greatly influenced Italian architecture through his support of various designers. He worked with famous names like Figini e Pollini, Gabetti e Isola, and even collaborated with Le Corbusier before his death in 1960. Many notable creations came from Marcello Nizzoli, Mario Bellini, and Ettore Sottsass, while shops were designed by Carlo Scarpa, BBPR, and Franco Albini with Franca Helg. His 'Olivetti method' emphasized combining beauty with social responsibility, highlighted by the airy Pozzuoli factory built in 1953. The Ivrea industrial complex was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2018. Olivetti also founded the Movimento di Comunità and became a parliamentary representative in 1958. The Fondazione Adriano Olivetti, alongside MAXXI, continues to uphold his legacy through lectures and a major exhibition planned for spring 2020.
Key facts
- Adriano Olivetti was a chemical engineer who never practiced architecture but commissioned many buildings.
- He commissioned projects from architects including Figini e Pollini, Gabetti e Isola, Eduardo Vittoria, Ignazio Gardella, Luigi Cosenza, Marco Zanuso, and Le Corbusier.
- Product designers included Marcello Nizzoli, Mario Bellini, and Ettore Sottsass.
- Shop interiors were designed by Carlo Scarpa (Venice), BBPR (New York), and Franco Albini with Franca Helg (Paris).
- The Pozzuoli factory (1953) was designed by Luigi Cosenza as a light-filled building with a panoramic view.
- Ivrea's industrial complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 2018.
- Olivetti founded the Movimento di Comunità and was elected to parliament in 1958.
- The Fondazione Adriano Olivetti and MAXXI are organizing a lecture series and an international exhibition starting spring 2020.
Entities
Artists
- Adriano Olivetti
- Figini e Pollini
- Gabetti e Isola
- Eduardo Vittoria
- Ignazio Gardella
- Luigi Cosenza
- Marco Zanuso
- Le Corbusier
- Marcello Nizzoli
- Mario Bellini
- Ettore Sottsass
- Carlo Scarpa
- BBPR
- Franco Albini
- Franca Helg
- Gian Antonio Bernasconi
- Geno Pampaloni
- Franco Ferrarotti
- Edoardo Persico
- Camillo Olivetti
- Domitilla Dardi
- Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi
Institutions
- Olivetti
- Fondazione Adriano Olivetti
- MAXXI
- UNESCO
- Comune di Ivrea
- MIBAC
- Architectural Association
- Politecnico di Milano
- Consorzio degli Insediamenti Produttivi del Canavese
- Alta Scuola Politecnica
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (MAECI)
- Istituti Italiani di Cultura
- Movimento di Comunità
- Artribune
Locations
- Ivrea
- Italy
- Pozzuoli
- Venice
- New York
- Paris
- Canavese
- London