A new museum is set to open its doors in Milan, and is keeping design lovers wondering about this new frenzy: the ADI Compasso D’Oro Museum and cultural pole will be inaugurated in 2020 and is said to become the largest design museum in Europe with more than 3000 square meters of exhibition, offices, a library and a restaurant. The museum will showcase more than 2000 pieces of Italian Design from 1954, some awarded the prestigious prize ‘Compasso D’Oro’. The area will also host the ADI (industrial Design Association adidesign.org ) offices and the ADI Foundation historical archives containing more than 60 years of historical Italian design projects. This is a milestone for Italy and for Italian Design, a great achievement for the city of Milan which already hosts several design events throughout the year. The Compasso D’Oro Museum will be a new design hub for architects and designers and all those interested in getting hands information on the history of post war 20th Century Design in Italy on the latest design trends and creations. This new Museum will collaborate with the Triennale Design Museum ‘Museum of Italian Design’ which opened its permanent Italian Design exhibition on April 8th 2019
But what is the Compasso D’Oro design award? And why is that so important? This prestigious event was initially established in 1954 by ‘La Rinascente’ with the input of Architect Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli, and awarded designers and architects for their innovative work in the field of industrial design. Also known as Golden Compass it is the most recognized award in the field of design. Since 1958 the award has been hosted by the ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale adidesign.org). Since then, almost three hundred projects have won the Golden Compass, more than two thousands have received honorable mentions and included in the ADI Premio Compasso D’Oro historical archives.
ADI Compasso d’Oro Design Museum, rendering of the project by Migliore + Servetto Architects and Italo Lupi
Awarded Industrial design products ranged from aviation to household appliances, from auto industry to furniture, from textiles to building constructions innovations ; most of you will remember some products because they were mass produced every day use objects: the first one which comes to mind is the famous s Fiat 500 car (1959) designed by Dante Giacosa, the Alessi moka coffee maker designed by Richard Sapper for Alessi (1979), or the Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter designed in 1954 by Nizzoli, a permanent piece of the Moma New York.
More information on : www.adi-design.org
1st Edition Compasso D’Oro (1954) Zizì, toy, Bruno Munari, Pigomma S.r.l. image credit: @adiassodesign
Tolomeo Lamp design Michele De Lucchi for Artemide (1989)