Italian company Pedrali is celebrating its 60th anniversary with new architecture by ADML CIRCLE and Michele De Lucchi, and a forward-looking Luca Molinari Studio-curated exhibition. 

Honouring the creativity, innovation and drive for quality that has led Pedrali since its founding in 1963, the Pedrali Pavilion stands at the Italian company’s headquarters in Mornico al Serio, Bergamo. Coinciding with Bergamo and Brescia’s appointment as Italy’s 2023 Capital of Culture, the 60th anniversary prompted Pedrali to trace back its history and establish its progressive vision for the future. That’s where ADML CIRCLE, Michele De Lucchi and Luca Molinari Studio came in, for the Pedrali Pavilion and exhibition Pedrali60, we design a better future. 

Situated within ADML CIRCLE and De Lucchi’s timber-built temporary structure, the exhibition simultaneously takes visitors through a journey of Pedrali’s core values and heritage while encouraging thought for tomorrow’s design. ‘Italian production excellence is something unique that cannot be reproduced elsewhere,’ says Monica Pedrali, CEO of Pedrali. ‘In our country, we have a culture for beauty, for art; we have craftsmanship, workmanship, and an extensive technical expertise. The decision to build the Pavilion in our local territory reminds us of our roots, our environment. This is a new space that belongs solely to us and which will be the legacy of this very special anniversary.’

Embodying the form of a large, vaulted roof, the rectangular pavilion emphasizes the importance of nomadic – yet sustainable – architecture. Natural light flows through the space thanks to open sides, and a series of arched portals and exposed piers support the structure. Taking advantage of these qualities, Luca Molinari Studio envisioned the show layout as a walk through a ‘magical forest’, with areas inspired by the loggias of ancient public buildings ubiquitous to Northern Italy. ‘In this mobile and movable exhibition space, shows and events can be staged, which tell the story of the existence of a company, a community of people building together something that deserves to be built, distributed, sold, told, combining together the destinies of many individuals,’ explains De Lucchi.

The purpose of the Pedrali Pavilion and exhibition is really to draw people together and create a shared dimension of design thinking and sharing. Community, research and experimentation, after all, are key tenets of Pedrali’s six-decade evolution. Shares Molinari: ‘The exhibition offers a critical reinterpretation of an important element of Italy’s design scene, and a look to the future drawing on Pedrali’s strong entrepreneurial and innovative drive.’