The new Museum redesigns the first three floors and the courtyard of Palazzo Pepoli Vecchio.

Project data

  • Status
    Built
  • Year
    2003 – 2012
  • Tipology
    Museum
  • Location
    Bologna, Italy > map
  • Client
    Fondazione “Cassa di Risparmio” di Bologna
  • Budget
    18 milion €
  • Total Area/Surface/Volume
    6.200 sq m
  • Awards
    Competition by invitation. Winning project.

Description

The work done concerns both the architectural project of transforming and renovating the palazzo as well as the exhibition design for the works on display.

The architect carries out his work inside the building. “Inside, in the heart of the Palazzo, an umbrella tower of glass and steel reinvents the courtyard which thus reacquires dignity and function – Bellini explains –.

It looks like a magic lantern flooded from above with natural white light that descends and is dematerialised into pure transparency.
Almost an epiphany that makes one reflect on the passing of time”.

The new glass structure of the umbrella tower in the courtyard is juxtaposed with the massively thick layout of the existing building and makes the entire visiting itinerary fluid, taking the tower and the courtyard as its epicentre.

The architectonic gesture of the tower is decisive, but it also strategically resolves the need for a fluid and interesting exhibition itinerary.
The exhibit design confirms Bellini’s ability to enhance existing structures according to principles now consolidated in his work.

“A museum of the city and for the city, designed – as in all my works for exhibitions – Bellini remembers – by respecting (and separating) the container and the content in order to enhance, in mutual autonomy, the meaning and beauty of both”.

“The main elements of the exhibition design are larger containers – it seems reductive to define them as display cases, they have, rather, the flavour of out of scale metaphysical objects that recall de Chirico – placed in the rooms according to their own rhythms and with a different geometry compared to those of the rooms themselves and of their sequence”.

Inside these large transparent structures, the works on display are framed by three-dimensional cages that define for each work a space of its own, moreover allowing for excellent lighting, with miniature LED technology.

(Ermanno Ranzani)

Credits

COMPETITION: 2003

Architect
Mario Bellini Architects

Design Team
Mario Bellini. With Loretto Buti, Giorgio Origlia, Carlo Malnati

Project Team
Loretto Buti and Giorgio Origlia (project architects). With Giulio Castegini, Maurizio Di Lauro, Egle de Luca, Federico Spadini, Dario Varetto, Alessandro Zufferli (3D model and render image), Andrea Volpato (Model)

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT (2004-2006)

Architect
Mario Bellini Architects

Design Team
Mario Bellini.  With Giorgio Origlia

Project Team
Giorgio Origlia (project architect). With Giulio Castegini, Alessia Nori, Francesca Calda, Luca Bosetti (3D model and render image)

Project Manager
Alessio Zanichelli

Consultants
Structure:   Massimo Majowiecki, Bologna
Mechanical and electrical services:    S.S.S. s.a.s., Bologna
Safety:   Carlo Savorani, Bologna

COSTRUCTION PHASE (2007-2011)

Architect
Mario Bellini Architects

Design Team
Mario Bellini.  With Giorgio Origlia

Exhibition Design Team
Mario Bellini. With Giovanni Cappelletti

Project Team

Giorgio Origlia and Giovanni Cappelletti (project architects). Whit Alessia Nori, Francesca Calda, Egle De Luca, Luca Bosetti (3D model and render image)

Construction manager
Alessio Zanichelli (2007- 2008), Marco Bruni

Consultants
Structure:   Massimo Majowiecki, Bologna
Mechanical and electrical services:   S.S.S. s.a.s., Bologna
Glass facade design:   MEW – Manfroni Engineering Workshop, Rimini
Safety:   Carlo Savorani, Bologna
Museologist:   Massimo Negri, Milano
Graphic Design:   Italo Lupi with Alessandro Farina
Display cabinets:   Mayveaert Italia s.r.l, Treviso (Olivier de Ville, Marco Masocco)
Multimedia presentation:   Studio BASE 2, Bergamo
General Contractor:  CESI s.r.l, Bologna
Display cabinets:   Mayveaert Italia s.r.l, Treviso
Exhibition Design:   TECTON s.c.r.l, Reggio Emilia