Zeitgeist. Or rather, giving shape to the spirit of the times through architecture. This is the starting point for understanding the important restyling work carried out on Azimut Yachts’ Avigliana headquarters. AMDL CIRCLE and Michele De Lucchi were called upon to carry out the work, which was part of a €50 million investment plan for the production site, giving the main building and the new multifunctional pavilion a new architectural look.
But what does the Zeitgeist have to do with the Azimut Yachts shipyard? To find the answer, we need to start from the beginning, or rather from the approach that characterised the work, in which the dialogue between past, present and future set the coordinates for the project.
‘It all started with a structure designed in the 1990s by the Turin-based firm Gabetti e Isola, creators of important architectural works, including the Olivetti headquarters. The architects themselves described the architecture of this site as a dialogue between production and landscape: the boats, offices and factories blend into the Italian industrial and coastal context, with a few essential elements of steel, coloured blocks and blue roofs.
This is where our story began, a story to be preserved,” said Giovanna Vitelli, president of Azimut | Benetti, in her presentation. ‘The architectural intervention we had in mind had to respect this identity, but add a contemporary touch without distorting the original imprint. Among the various references taken into consideration was the Louvre: its glass pyramid is an example of harmonious dialogue between past and present,’ emphasised Giovanna Vitelli.
A clear vision that translated into clear choices. “This project was also important for me, as a representative of the second generation. It came at a time of reflection: on how we want to look to the future, how we operate and the corporate culture we want to promote. Hence the decision to abandon the traditional concept of executive offices, with sizes and finishes indicating hierarchies, and to adopt a principle based on transparency.
The extensive use of glass surfaces was designed to visually connect the different areas of the company,‘ emphasised Vitelli, who added: ’Of course, there are still areas reserved for management, but the focus has been on creating shared spaces: open spaces, meeting rooms and meeting areas that encourage teamwork and the exchange of ideas.”
The most complex part? Working on something that already exists. It is no coincidence that the choice fell on AMDL CIRCLE and Michele De Lucchi, who, in addition to knowing Azimut well thanks to a decade-long collaboration, have several projects of this kind to their credit. Among the most representative are the Gallerie d’Italia in Turin, created in the spaces of a former bank vault, the Triennale di Milano and the Manica Lunga in Venice.
All examples of an approach that does not erase, but layers and renews, adding what is needed for the present and the future. The same principle guided the intervention on the Avigliana headquarters: a complex that is not ancient, but nevertheless has its own identity and a story to tell. The project involved additions, subtractions and openings, with the aim of respecting the original memory and projecting it into the contemporary world. The result is an architecture that tells a story of a journey.
The journey begins with a metal pavilion, composed of three overlapping volumes: a technological, essential and contemporary sign. The entrance is thus transformed into a new open, free space, designed for multiple uses.
Today it is a lobby, but in the future it could become an exhibition area or a venue for events: a dynamic and flexible environment, in line with the needs of a constantly evolving company. The internal route takes visitors and guests through the history of the shipyard, via symbolic stages such as the first outboard motor built by Paolo Vitelli, founder of the group.
There are also references to the many innovations introduced over time, both in terms of design language and communication, which have helped to define the brand’s identity and its ability to interpret changes in the nautical world and the contemporary world. We are living in a time of great cultural and technological transformation.
Everything is moving at an unprecedented speed and, in such a context, architecture is also called upon to evolve. It is precisely through architecture that the Zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, manifests itself, capable of reflecting the tensions and aspirations of the contemporary world, especially in a shipyard that produces boats. ‘An architect, like anyone else, must understand the times in which they live. If their identity looks too far ahead, they risk not being understood; if they remain anchored to the past, they become anachronistic.
Finding the right balance is the key to remaining relevant,’ said Michele De Lucchi at the inauguration event. ‘To establish yourself, to grow and to find satisfaction in your work, you need to constantly question what you are doing and the goals you want to achieve. The same applies to a company: it is not just a brand, but people, relationships, products and processes. And it is from this vital network that its ability to renew itself over time is born,’ added De Lucchi.
Matteo Zaccagnino
