A modern movement laboratory. The history of Ivrea is indissolubly related to the history of its industry, the leading typewriters’ manufacturer Olivetti, established in 1908. As of the 1930s, Adriano Olivetti was a tireless promoter of a social, cultural and political renewal project intended to change the relationship between industry, society and territory through the disciplines of architecture and urbanism. The tour starts from the core of the industrial development of Ivrea, the Olivetti Factory (L. Figini e G. Pollini, 1934-6) with its long glazed wall, the Kindergarten and housing block (L. Figini e G. Pollini, 1939-42), the workers’ canteen by Ignazio Gardella, and a brief look at the social service’s centre (L. Figini e G. Pollini, 1954-59) and the thermo electric plant (E. Vittoria, 1956-59). Then we move to the District of Via Castellamonte: housing for employees (L. Figini e G. Pollini, 1940-42), 6 single-family houses (M. Nizzoli e G.M. Oliveri, 1948), two houses for employees (M. Nizzoli e G.M. Oliveri, 1951) 18-Flats building (M. Nizzoli e G.M. Oliveri, 1954-55) and the Western residential unit (R. Gabetti e A. Isola, 1969-71). The tour ends with the Eastern residential unit in the center of the town (I. Cappai e P. Mainardis, 1985). The tour can be extended to the Archivio Storico Olivetti where are exposed original Olivetti products, from the first typewriting machine to the first personal computer, advertisement posters and black and white original pictures of many buildings.

Duration: 1 day tour

Displacement: with private bus

Reservation: at least 1 week before