Exhibition “Architettura alla prova. Il PAC di Ignazio Gardella” 
[Staging Architecture. Ignazio Gardella’s PAC]

3.7 > 13.9.2026 

Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea
Milano, Via Palestro, 14

curated by Claudia Cavallo

Thirty years after the reconstruction of the PAC, which reopened in July 1996 following the attack on Via Palestro, this exhibition reflects on the civic and symbolic role of this architecture, which has endured over time and transcended destruction and historical events.

The Milan Contemporary Art Pavilion, designed by Ignazio Gardella from 1948 to 1954 and rebuilt by him and his son, Jacopo Gardella, between 1993 and 1996, is widely regarded as a masterpiece of museum architecture. It also stands as a significant example of the work of one of the most influential architects of 20th-century Italy.

The exhibition explores the 'enigma' of Gardella’s architecture, which is entirely different from the pre-existing stables and, at the same time, deeply rooted in the context of the Villa Reale: a lesson in creating continuity across different times, without compromising the expressive dimension of architecture.

The analysis of the architect's elements and themes highlights a focus on 'staging,' evident not only in the final physical structure but also in the extensive development process leading to its completion. The various approaches, drafts, changes in direction, and ongoing refinements offer a glimpse into the evolution of architecture. This aligns with Gardella's idea of ‘critical research of the formal outcome.’
 

> Link to the official webpage
 

/ a project by 

PAC - Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea di Milano

/ in collaboration with 

The Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering (ABC) of Politecnico di Milano

/ supported by 

Archivio Storico Gardella
CSAC Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione, Università di Parma
Archivio Progetti, Università Iuav di Venezia

/ exhibition scientific committee

Claudia Cavallo
Edoarda De Ponti
Antonella Gallo
Giovanni Marras
Sara Martin
Tomaso Monestiroli
Diego Sileo