herzog de meuron's feltrinelli milan opens

the fondazione feltrinelli has been inaugurated in milan’s porta volta district. designed by herzog and de meuron, the major construction is the firm’s first project in italy, with a masterplan that includes a set of buildings completed along the city’s viale pasubio. the concrete structures are unified by their design and host the foundation’s headquarters, the offices of microsoft italia, and a large public green area with meeting points, bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways.

all images © mario carrieri (unless stated)

herzog and de meuron visualized the architectural language of the long, narrow buildings based on simple geometries, the modular repetition of structural components, and transparency. the slopes of the steeply pitched roofs are incorporated into the façades, creating a rhythmic articulation of interior spaces. in plan, the buildings conform to the historic perimeters, permitting them to perfectly blend into the surrounding urban context.

the reading room at the top floor has been furnished exclusively with custom works designed by the architects

the building is organized across five levels. the multidisciplinary vision of fondazione giangiacomo feltrinelli is conceived to evolve into a cultural space for educational and research purposes, all the while becoming a welcoming addition to milan’s architectural landscape. the reception area, library, and coffee bar are based on the lower floors, while a multi-purpose conference hall is hosted on the second floor, with the offices, meeting rooms, and co-production spaces on the third and fourth levels.

a bookshelf produced by unifor is organized to the back of the library
image © designboom

the roof structure’s sharp peak contains an expansive reading room and classroom. this space has been furnished exclusively with custom works designed by studio herzog & de mueron and, at the rear, a large oak bookshelf follows the form of the peaked ceiling. the same material is used in the two lower bookcases that run along the inclined glazing of the façades. this room is filled with light and boasts an impressive view of the surrounding urban landscape.

the bookshelf by unifor follows the peaked shaped but doesn’t touch the ceiling itself
image © designboom

the interior was furnished by unifor, with custom works conceived specifically by herzog & de meuron in collaboration with coima image. the office floors feature full height partition walls that can be adapted to different specifications. the use of custom made furniture and a similar material palette has been continued throughout to complement the nature and geometries of its exterior.

close up detail of the artemide ‘unterlinden lamp‘ designed by herzog de meuron
image © designboom