StartupThe Feltrinelli Foundation: built for the future

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This area has been undergoing continual investment, and it shows. It’s already known as a place for advancement and innovation, and now it will also be known for culture. The Foundation’s striking new building is classic yet contemporary, housing a bookshop, cafe and reading room on the top floor, where you can immerse yourself in a world of books and exhibitions, and take in the view of the constantly evolving city of Milan. It was designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, who were also behind such projects as the Tate Modern in London. There’s a palpable sense of simplicity and modernity throughout the Foundation’s new building. Walking down the halls between all the different spaces, it’s hard not to think of London – and yet you still feel incredibly proud to be in Milan, the new capital of innovation.

The new Feltrinelli Foundation: a space for culture

Fondazione Feltrinelli

Even the President of the Republic had words of praise for the Feltrinelli building, saying: “it’s a place of culture, research and innovation, built solely with private capital, but with sincere aims to serve the public, and to put Milan once more on the leading edge.” And indeed, the space is bursting with possibilities. It will be home to an archive collection that would stretch a whopping 12 km, made up of 270,000 books and 16,000 periodicals. The first floor showcases an evocative and engaging installation by the artist Joseph Kosuth, called Nineteen locations of meaning. You can’t help but stop and absorb it, take photos, and maybe try to capture the reactions of the other visitors. There are also spontaneous lectures, monologues and performances taking place, evoking an emotional response from the audience. There are 5 days of open events, where people can witness art, poetry and performance intermingling in front of a backdrop of a city that’s becoming more and more broad-minded.

Fondazione Feltrinelli

This is a place where you come face to face with the past, but keep an eye to the future. Culture can’t ignore technology – in fact, it’s at the intersection of the two where we see real prospects for change. Next year will also see the arrival of Microsoft Italia’s headquarters, with a Technology Center which will house research labs, startups and open public spaces. And with initiatives like these, change is exactly what will be achieved.

Michela Di Nuzzo

« Se scrivo ciò che sento è perché così facendo abbasso la febbre di sentire». - Fernando Pessoa Giornalista e co-founder, vivo il digital come imprenditrice e appassionata. Percepisco il cambiamento come un'opportunitá mai una minaccia. Occhi spalancati e orecchie aperte, sempre pronta alla condivisione, la chiave di ogni evoluzione.

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