Brera Art Gallery, entrance hall

In the entrance corridor of the Pinacoteca, we designed the layout to host the exhibition “La bellezza e l’ideale” with plaster busts by Canova and the Pinacoteca Viaggiante.

The sequence of niches and surfaces creates a new sense of space. The architectural intervention interacts with the existing monumentality, introducing a system of contemporary elements that welcome Canova’s busts with a sober and calibrated language. The rigorous and silent design of the volumes allows the works to be the true protagonists.

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In the entrance corridor of the Pinacoteca, we designed the layout to host the exhibition “La bellezza e l’ideale” with plaster busts by Canova and the Pinacoteca Viaggiante.

The sequence of niches and surfaces creates a new sense of space. The architectural intervention interacts with the existing monumentality, introducing a system of contemporary elements that welcome Canova’s busts with a sober and calibrated language. The rigorous and silent design of the volumes allows the works to be the true protagonists.

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A long continuous shelf was designed to house Canova’s plaster casts, capable of accommodating the temporary collection but also of having a second life. The structure, designed to be reusable, can be transformed into a support for future exhibitions, adapting to new narratives and the evolution of the museum. A logic of reversibility and sustainability guides the intervention, in line with the studio’s design philosophy.

The exhibition guides visitors along a visual narrative: a series of faces that embody the idea of ideal beauty in neoclassical language. The architecture provides a discreet and measured backdrop, regulating light and perception. The neutral color of the surfaces and the warm tone of the wooden bases create a refined balance between matter, light, and time.

The exhibition guides visitors along a visual narrative: a series of faces that embody the idea of ideal beauty in neoclassical language. The architecture provides a discreet and measured backdrop, regulating light and perception. The neutral color of the surfaces and the warm tone of the wooden bases create a refined balance between matter, light, and time.

The intervention illuminates the works with an existing lighting system, reinterpreted and enhanced. Light becomes a tool for interpretation, emphasizing the volumes and restoring the plaster casts to their original purity. The use of anti-reflective glass eliminates any visual interference, giving visitors a direct, almost intimate experience with the sculpture.

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Every detail is designed to enhance the works themselves: the natural wood base introduces a domestic warmth, while the dark finish of the shelves adds depth and visual neutrality. The project is the result of a combination of technical rigor and artisanal sensitivity, striking a balance between museum function and the poetry of space.

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Every detail is designed to enhance the works themselves: the natural wood base introduces a domestic warmth, while the dark finish of the shelves adds depth and visual neutrality. The project is the result of a combination of technical rigor and artisanal sensitivity, striking a balance between museum function and the poetry of space.

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The succession of busts, each enclosed in a display case, creates a visual rhythm marked by variations in profile, gaze, and light. The architecture accompanies the visitor’s steps, offering a dynamic and continuous perception. The transparency and lightness of the display cases make the exhibition almost immaterial, allowing Canova’s sculptural power to emerge.

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The display cases and large showcase were engineered and built by Goppion, a company renowned for excellence in museography. The precision of the construction becomes part of the aesthetic language of the project.

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The display cases and large showcase were engineered and built by Goppion, a company renowned for excellence in museography. The precision of the construction becomes part of the aesthetic language of the project.

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On the opposite side, the display case dedicated to the “Traveling Art Gallery” houses a collection of miniatures in a linear and light-weight structure. The ensemble creates a visual counterpoint to the sequence of busts, balancing weights and proportions in the space. The colored background and dark frame emphasize the narrative and intimate dimension of the works, striking a balance between rigor and delicacy.

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