Pirelli Hangar Bicocca is the perfect example of Milan’s famous adaptive re-use projects.
This vast exhibition site is located in the hangars that were once the home of the renown Ansaldo Breda, a company that produced railway and mass transit vehicles, later bought by famous Milanese tyre manufacturer Pirelli. Back in the day, the Bicocca neighbourhood was only a vast industrial area in Milan’s city limits, but in the late 1990s the Bicocca University was established and since then the area has been subjected to other major requalification plans.
Hangar Bicocca is one of the symbols, if not the main attraction, of the area. It is a dynamic exposition site that covers a surface of about 15,000 square meters. The entrance to the permanent collection is free. You’ll be able to find the famous The Seven Heavenly Palaces by German artist Anselm Kiefer (see picture) as part of the permanent collection, as well as temporary solo or collective exhibitions. Given the huge space, Hangar Bicocca adapts very well to performance art and especially interactive art installations, in which you are called to participate in the first person: Hangar Bicocca hardly ever disappoints me on that account!
All in all, Hangar Bicocca is the perfect exhibition site to spend a couple of hours if you wanna try to see the world from a different perspective. It’s also a good space to introduce your kids to art, thanks to the super colorful education games and activities you can get involved with.
