Milan's Museo del Novecento to Double in Size with Suspended Bridge
In December 2020, the City of Milan initiated the international design competition Novecentopiùcento, which culminated in the selection of a winning team headed by architect Sonia Calzoni. This team will oversee the expansion of the Museo del Novecento into the neighboring Secondo Arengario, adding over 1,000 square meters to accommodate more than 100 artworks, thus forming a cohesive museum complex. Planned enhancements include a 20-meter high aerial walkway and converting Via Marconi into an external atrium. The new Arengario tower will house a bookshop, café, auditorium, and four levels dedicated to art from the 1980s onward. Funded by a €5 million donation and €15 million from Giuseppina Antognini, the project also includes new acquisitions featuring works by Boccioni and Balla. Mayor Giuseppe Sala commended the initiative, which has a total budget of €29 million despite earlier resistance.
Key facts
- Winning team led by Sonia Calzoni includes Pierluigi Nicolin, Ferdinando Aprile, Giuseppe Di Bari, Bruno Finzi.
- Expansion adds over 1,000 sqm of exhibition space for more than 100 works.
- Two connection solutions: aerial walkway at 20m height and transformation of Via Marconi into an atrium.
- Second Arengario tower will house bookshop, café, auditorium, and four museum levels.
- Funded by €5 million donation and art collection worth over €15 million from Giuseppina Antognini.
- New acquisitions include works by Boccioni, Balla, Severini, Sironi, De Chirico, Savinio.
- Mayor Giuseppe Sala announced the project on July 2021.
- City of Milan allocated €29 million for the expansion.
- Competition used Concorrimi platform; 53 competitions held across Italy in 7 years.
- Soprintendenza objected to bridge but team defended its reversible design.
Entities
Artists
- Sonia Calzoni
- Pierluigi Nicolin
- Ferdinando Aprile
- Giuseppe Di Bari
- Bruno Finzi
- Umberto Boccioni
- Giacomo Balla
- Severini
- Mario Sironi
- De Chirico
- Savinio
- Giuseppina Antognini
- Giuseppe Sala
- Paolo Mazzoleni
- Pier Francesco Maran
- Giulia Ronchi
- Arturo Martini
- Marino Marini
- Pellizza da Volpedo
- Piero Ruggeri
Institutions
- Museo del Novecento
- Comune di Milano
- Concorrimi
- Ordine degli Architetti della provincia di Milano
- Fondazione Pasquinelli
- Soprintendenza dei Beni archeologici
- Palazzo Marino
- Artribune
- LEVEL Creative Studio
- Accademia di Brera
- Università Cattolica di Milano
- OUT44
- Palazzo Reale
- Intesa Sanpaolo
- Gallerie d'Italia
- Order of Architects of Milan
- Corriere della Sera
- La Repubblica Milano
- Urbanlife
- Soprintendenza
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Piazza Duomo
- Secondo Arengario
- Primo Arengario
- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
- Torre Martini
- Via Marconi
- Piazza Diaz
- Piazza della Scala
- Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
- Arengario
- Piazza del Duomo
- Palazzo Reale