The entire history of Pirelli, from its foundation in 1872 through to the present day, is also the story of how the urban fabric of the city has constantly been transformed with the construction of industrial and commercial buildings. These have been designed to meet the ever-changing needs of the group, brought about by innovation in production processes and improvement in working conditions for its staff.

The exhibition is divided into three stages and is on display in some of the most emblematic buildings of what is now the Pirelli headquarters, under the expert guidance of Foundation staff:

– HQ1, the building designed by Studio Gregotti Associati around the old cooling tower of the Bicocca factory. The building, a 10-storey, 50 x 50-metre cube, was completed in August 2003, and flanked in 2009 by a second construction (HQ2). Three sides of the HQ1 are for offices, while the fourth front, which faces the Bicocca degli Arcimboldi, has a vast 168-tonne, 1800 m² glass façade. The cooling tower contains an auditorium on the ground floor and meeting and reception rooms on the various floors above it.

– The fifteenth-century Bicocca degli Arcimboldi, the Group’s current reception centre. A typical example of fifteenth-century Lombard architecture, this country house – or, more precisely, casino di caccia, or hunting lodge – was built by the Arcimboldi family in the second half of the fifteenth century. It became the property of Pirelli in 1918, and for over fifty years it has been the Group’s official reception venue. 

– The historic building 134, which has been preserved and renovated to house the Pirelli Foundation and the Historical Archive. Pirelli Foundation was established in 2009 at the behest of the Group and the Pirelli family to preserve and disseminate the cultural, historical and contemporary heritage of the company and to promote corporate culture. Fondazione Pirelli is housed in the fully modernised historical “Building 134” in the Pirelli area. In addition to offices, the building is hosts the Pirelli Historical Archives rooms, a reading room and an open space used for activities and meetings open to the public.

During the visit, the viewer will retrace also the most significant moments and episodes of the history of Pirelli, its interaction with the urban fabric and its relationship with architecture.

Detailed programme

Location: via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi 3, Milan (Pirelli Headquarters)

Duration: 2h

Guided visit with Pirelli Foundation staff
Guided tour: free with registration

Accessibility to disabled: Bicocca degli Arcimboldi – only ground floor

Website: www.fondazionepirelli.org