The Centre of Fondazione Prada, Milan

Architect: Rem Koolhaas
Text: Pál Lővei
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

Fondazione Prada, the art foundation of the fashion company Prada focusses on collecting mostly art works dating from the latter half of the 20th century, whilst also paying attention to Renaissance. The Foundation inaugurated ts exhibition centre in Milan just after the opening of the expo. On the transforming industrial premises in the southern part of the city, not very far from the confines of the historic centre and near Porta Romana railway station the complex of a destillation plant built in the 1910s was used and extended to meet even the most demanding requirements of exhibitors to have a proper, varied spatial complex. The architectural project managed by Rem Koolhaas was neither about the restoration of a historic monument to its old glory, nor a green field contemporary development, but a spectacular blend of the two clashing with each other. The five-storey and yet tiny tower-like structure made more dynamic by including small decks features typically „industrial” design articulated by lintel and iron-structure windows that have been preserved in an exemplary way, whilst every single surface of the facade was painted t shimmer in gold. As a contrast, the Podium which has been built next to it as a two-storey exhibition venue has exterior and interior walls and flat roofs which have been unanimously wrapped in large size light and silvery metallic panels which are pierced with bubbles. The square-shape ground floor is bordered by glass partitions on three sides, the projected upper level with a rectangular floor plan placed onto it only features a glass wall at the arrival of the single-flight longish staircase and the lift, offering views of the tower shimmering in gold.

Architect: Rem Koolhaas
Co-architects: Chris van Duijn, Massimo Alvisi
Structure: Favero & Milan
MEP engineering: Favero & Milan, Prisma Engineering
Acoustics: Level Acoustic
Scenography: Ducks Sceno