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Padiglione d'Arte
Via Palestro 3, Milano
1947 - 1954
The Modern Art Gallery rose on the site of the former stables of the Villa Reale, which was destroyed by the bombings in 1943.
Pressed by the need to find a new exhibition space for contemporary art, the Municipality of Milan focused its attention on this site in 1947.
It was then decided to use the Villa as a site for the Modern Art Gallery, and to construct a completely new space, which was to
be devoted exclusively to contemporary art. In March 1948, the design by Ignazio Gardella was preliminary selected.
The design for the so-called Padiglione d'Arte dates back to the central phase of Ignazio Gardellas career. The building is considered to be
one of the most important examples of his creativity. It is constructed on a trapezoidal plan, which was the only area available for construction.
The interior space of the building has been organised on various levels. This results in an articulated interior consisting of three large interiors,
which are distinct from each other but are freely communicating without a dogmatic spactial continuity solution. Each of this differentiated interiors
houses paintings respectively sculptures and an exhibition area for graphic works.
Giulio Carlo Argan wrote in the magazin Casabella Continuitą: "In Italy we do not happen to see a museum or a museum lesson built from scratch;
almost always the modern arrangement of our museum finds a limit in the historical and monumental character of the building housing them
and in the composition of the collections, mostly dating from earlier times. Also for this reason the solution devised by Gardella is a perfect example of
problem-setting and problem-solving in architectural terms, of a museuographic issue."
The Pavilion was inaugurated in 1954, and after a long period of closure for renovations it was reopened in 1979.
In 1993 the building was destroyed by a bomb, in a time when Italy was heavily committed in its fight against mafia.
Subsequently the exhibition space was rebuilt by Ingazio Gardella according to the original design, integrating some
important technical improvements. In 1996 PAC resumed its normal activity.
Pressed by the need to find a new exhibition space for contemporary art, the Municipality of Milan focused its attention on this site in 1947.
It was then decided to use the Villa as a site for the Modern Art Gallery, and to construct a completely new space, which was to
be devoted exclusively to contemporary art. In March 1948, the design by Ignazio Gardella was preliminary selected.
The design for the so-called Padiglione d'Arte dates back to the central phase of Ignazio Gardellas career. The building is considered to be
one of the most important examples of his creativity. It is constructed on a trapezoidal plan, which was the only area available for construction.
The interior space of the building has been organised on various levels. This results in an articulated interior consisting of three large interiors,
which are distinct from each other but are freely communicating without a dogmatic spactial continuity solution. Each of this differentiated interiors
houses paintings respectively sculptures and an exhibition area for graphic works.
Giulio Carlo Argan wrote in the magazin Casabella Continuitą: "In Italy we do not happen to see a museum or a museum lesson built from scratch;
almost always the modern arrangement of our museum finds a limit in the historical and monumental character of the building housing them
and in the composition of the collections, mostly dating from earlier times. Also for this reason the solution devised by Gardella is a perfect example of
problem-setting and problem-solving in architectural terms, of a museuographic issue."
The Pavilion was inaugurated in 1954, and after a long period of closure for renovations it was reopened in 1979.
In 1993 the building was destroyed by a bomb, in a time when Italy was heavily committed in its fight against mafia.
Subsequently the exhibition space was rebuilt by Ingazio Gardella according to the original design, integrating some
important technical improvements. In 1996 PAC resumed its normal activity.