Starting from Milan, the undisputed capital of design, Olympia Waters will take you to discover a series of places that have written the history of Design.
Inspired by “The Places of Design in Italy”, we will avoid the most famous stops to suggest sought-after and highly evocative destinations, which tell the stories of entrepreneurs, brands and objects that have a place in the history of art.
FROM COMPANY TO CULTURE: EXPERIENCES THAT TRANSCEND ECONOMICS
In Piedmont, Casa Zegna in Trivero (Biella) is the artists’ home strongly desired by the fashion house of the same name. Here, several temporary exhibitions are hosted every year, in addition to the permanent collection “From Sheep to Shop”, dedicated to the story of a company attentive to excellence.
Moving to Lake Orta, in Crusinallo di Omegna (Verbania), the Alessi Museum awaits you with its 25,000 design works, including prototypes, molds and sketches by world-famous designers.
While you're in the area, why not stop off at Laqua by the Lake? Less well known than the famous Villa Crespi, this boutique hotel owned by the Cannavacciuolo family boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant and will surely surprise you.
On the trail of another enlightened entrepreneur, we move to Montecchio Maggiore (Vicenza), home to the Bisazza Foundation, dedicated to architecture and photography exhibitions. Arriving here – where Renato Bisazza founded the iconic mosaic manufacturing company in 1956 – is a surreal experience. The Foundation is located in the heart of an industrial area, hidden by a tall bamboo hedge that reveals its existence only at the last moment. The works on display, conceived by architects, artists and designers, are bizarre and out of the ordinary. The Foundation gives carte blanche to each collaborator, on one condition: the creation must reflect their characteristic style.
This is a perfect opportunity to discover Vicenza, a lesser-known destination compared to other Veneto locations such as Verona or Venice. The city is worth a visit for at least two reasons: it is the capital of gold and fine goldsmithing, and it is the city of Palladio.
These reasons come together in the Museo del Gioiello (Jewels Museum), located in the splendid medieval square of the city and housed in the sixteenth-century Basilica Palladiana, the work of the famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Patricia Urquiola designed the museum’s exhibition space.
The Vittoriano Bitossi Foundation of Montelupo Fiorentino (Florence) is a valuable stop for design enthusiasts who find themselves in Tuscany. The Foundation hosts the ceramic archive from 1921 to today: drawings, projects, manuscripts, notes, books, catalogues and a rich photographic collection that traces the history of the company. The Foundation Museum displays a very rich collection of ceramics, models and plaster forms from the end of the nineteenth century to today, as well as work tools.
