Many Spaniards, French, Germans and tourists from Northern Europe Receptionist: “Everyone expresses appreciation”
IVREA. The light that from the large windows invades the environment of the Visitor’s center located in the Ico building is the immediate example of the absence of barriers between exterior and interior that Adriano Olivetti chose to give an innovative architectural imprint to his factories. The rational order and cleanliness of the lines of the restaurant facilitate the visitor’s approach to history and a conception of industrial adventure that has made school in the world also for its revolutionary aspirations in the social and human field.
Linda Zucca Bernardo, reception officer, shows a large model in the center of the room on which you can get an idea of the extent and composition of the Unesco site; on the walls panels show the evolution of the complex over the decades and on the shelves are the most significant examples of the machines that have marked the history of the Olivetti brand.
“In August we received the visit of many foreigners: Spaniards, French, Germans and travelers from northern Europe, while the Italians come mostly from the north and the center of the peninsula – explains Zucca Bernardo -. All of them express appreciation for this Visitor’s center for the more detailed explanations that can be found here compared to those available by browsing the websites and for the sense of welcome and presence that this historic building instills. Just think that some tourists, entering these places, say they still smell the factory ». And he points out: “Of all the visitors I interacted with, none did not know Olivetti, while many came specifically to visit this world-class site”. And he concludes by referring a regret expressed by many: “Although the Maam, the open-air museum of modern architecture, is an open-air museum, several of those who visited it complained that it was impossible to enter the buildings to admire the ‘indoor”.
In this regard, Fosco Bugoni and Paolo Bandirali, both from Milan, express their displeasure: “We saw, through the windows, the imposing staircase of the office building and we would have liked to appreciate the geometry and perspective of this structure from the inside. that fascinated us. We love visiting the sites of Italian industrial history and in Ivrea we are particularly attracted to Adriano Olivetti’s utopia ». The two friends’ training in the field of anthropology and philosophy leads them to dwell not only on the architectural aspects, but also on the social and human ideals that inspired Olivetti’s action. Bugoni notes: «We were struck by the excellent state of conservation of these buildings and by the originality of their style, extremely avant-garde for those years. However, the centrality of this industrial system, which also permeated the lifestyle of a city with kindergartens, social centers and health and recreational facilities all concentrated in one place, causes me a sense of disquiet ». Paolo Airoldi