Museums and libraries

Polo Museale Gallerie d’Italia, Milano


Intesa San Paolo created a new museum center “Intesa San Paolo and Fondazione Cariplo” that is home to 197 Italian masterpieces of the 18th century from the art collections of the two banking foundations. It is located in the Anguissola and Brentani historical palaces, both located in Milan’s Piazza della Scala.

All of the interiors were custom built according to project specifications; they are exalted by a light-bathed atmosphere, with solid oak as its main theme throughout furnishings and details.

This is especially the case in the two coffee rooms, with benches and tables lined up under the windows, with the curved, shapely slats of the benches that bring to mind garden benches and highlight the continuity between interior and exterior décor.

The cafeteria counters are covered in oak on some of them elegant glass showcases profiled in oak detailing are mounted. The large tables at the center of the room contain the bookshop and have an elegant weave decoration at the base; the walls are fitted with shelves that intertwine to create a geometric design that forms alternating niches.

There are more oak furnishings throughout the ticket office and cloakroom: boiserie with coat hangers, hat shelf and platform. In these areas, as well as in the rest of the public areas, led lighting is used.The furnishings bear witness to the highest level of traditional Italian carpentry craftsmanship.