One year, one month and ten days. This was the time required to complete the UniCredit Pavilion, a new multifunctional gathering place of UniCredit at Piazza Gae Aulenti, near the headquarters of the bank. Not just an auditorium or a facility for events, meetings and conferences. Not just a place for art exhibitions, but all these things at the same time, thanks to the particular modular configuration of the spaces.
Giuseppe Vita, president of UniCredit, Federico Ghizzoni, CEO of UniCredit, Roberto Maroni, president of the Lombardy Region, and the architect Michele De Lucchi (see interview) were all on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony for this unique structure.
The UniCredit Pavilion has three levels. The Auditorium on the ground floor can contain up to 700 persons. Thanks to its flexible concept, the space can be subdivided into multiple smaller zones.
From the Auditorium, a helical staircase offers access to the Art Promenade, a flexible display system for temporary exhibitions, which can also be used to create visual narratives to support other activities in the building. The second level hosts the Mini-Tree area, a daycare center for employees that is also open to the community, for 60 youngsters from 3 to 36 months of age.
On the third level, the Greenhouse is a location for business meetings and events. The building features two “wings” that can open, 12 meters long, with maxi-screens facing the Park and Piazza Gae Aulenti.
The whole structure, facing the Gardens of Porta Nuova, has been designed for maximum environmental sustainability and made with natural materials and the most modern construction techniques.
The opening of the UniCredit Pavilion to the public is slated for 28 July at 21.30, with the photographic concert Sinfonie in Scena created and produced by Tullio Mattone in collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia-Cineteca Nazionale, led by the actor Giancarlo Giannini, with live music performed by Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana – OFI, with the singers Chiara Civello and Emanuela Loffredo. The arrangements and conducting are by Maurizio Abeni. The event will be free of charge and also visible from the outside, thanks to the big screens of the “wings.”
For info: www.unicreditpavilion.it
