'Opening Velasca' project redevelops this famous Milan's tower. It forms part of Urban Up, the real estate redevelopment project through which Unipol Group aims to promote some of the most important buildings it owns in Milan.
First and foremost the square in which the tower is set, which for the entire duration of Expo 2015 will be open to the public. Here visitors can stop and share a space that has promoted an important cross-cultural debate in international circles over the years, spanning architecture, engineering and culture. The result is an urban garden created under the imposing metal structure that will support the scaffolding used for the refurbishment of the Tower's exterior: 'an unexpected oasis of calm featuring beds of aromatic green herbs interspersed with tall plants'.
'There is a tower that has shaped the history of Milan and will shape its future.'
But Opening Velasca also extends to the interior of the building. Inside the Tower, a new exhibition space has been designed by Piero Lissoni for exhibitions, conferences and talks on the subject of architecture and design, with the aim of reviving the building and giving a new boost to cultural debate in the city.
The first event planned for this space is the high profile exhibition 'Torre Velasca. History, Architecture and Design', curated by Alberico Barbiano di Belgiojoso. The exhibition, dedicated to architectural partnership BBPR and the city of Milan, covers one of the most important cultural periods in the history of the city. It presents reproductions of original photographs, drawings and various objects which highlight not only the architectural value of the Tower, but also the consummate quality of its design and the construction materials used in the innovative historical context in which it was conceived in the Milan of the 1950s.
The interior decoration of the top floor of the Tower completes Opening Velasca. Here Piero Lissoni, once again with the support of leading Italian design companies including Flos, has created a space for exclusive events with a breathtaking view of the city. Another place of great beauty which, in conjunction with the square and its dynamic relationship with the urban environment, offers another take on the centrality of the Tower in Milan's cultural life.
Exhibition.- 'Torre Velasca. Storia, architettura e design'.
Venue.- Torre Velasca, Piazza Velasca 5, Milan.
Dates.- 9 July to 30 August 2015.
