Fondazione Prada

AT PRADA FOUNDATION IN MILAN, ALL WALK ON PORPHYRY FROM TRENTINO

Porphyry from Trentino acts a very prominent role, inside innovative project of Prada Foundation in Milan, which officially opened its doors to public on Mai, 9th. New Prada Foundation symbolizes one of the most important private work ever – linked to the occasion of EXPO / Milan – designed from OMA and Rem Koolhaas. In the new spaces, joining to others already existing in Venice, new building and reconversion complement one another, bringing to life a totally new artistic and creative experience. Built up in 1910 as a distillery, the complex is basically a campus made up of post-industrial areas - transformed into exhibition galleries – placed side by side to three buildings : “Podium” “Cinema” and “Torre”, separated from and interconnected to different courtyards as well as external ways and paths, whose aim is offering a common public area to citizenship. Right around such a good architecture structuration marking the Foundation - composed by a system of exhibition spaces, in this way connected – the project concept turns. This project is neither a preservation work, nor it’s about a new architecture conception, but the excellently successful attempt to let Foundation artistic collection itself emerge.

For paths and courtyards flooring of this “artistic park”, the choice of designers and “Colombo Costruzioni” building enterprise ( entrusted with some of the most prestigious works, which reshaped Milan city center, with the occasion of EXPO ), went for “Odorizzi” company porphyry, from Trentino. 3.200 m2 of Delgorsa® cobbles – type 8/10cm – were supplied and installed in straight rows technique, on a Splitflex® base, sealed through Montorfano granite with Flexyfuga® resin. This prominent job was completed by laying further 1.000 m2 of oak wooden cobbles – size 10/14cm – installed next to porphyry cobbles. All works were carried out between February and the middle of April, by “Odorizzi Soluzioni in pietra”, which delivered “turnkey” commissioned floored surfaces, perfectly complying with accorded schedule .

architects: OMA and Rem Koolhaas