Magazzino Italian Art

Magazzino, which means warehouse in Italian, is a 20,000 square-foot art space in Upstate New York that houses the private collection of Post War Italian Art by Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu. Magazzino attempts to pay homage to its name and the Arte Povera collection which it houses. While the artists worked with elements considered to be poor, low-quality, or readily available, the architecture also pursues this philosophy by using simple components and building techniques. The “in situ” formwork concrete wall, shaped with phenol-treated wood panels, makes up the skin of the new container, the roof cover is solved by using a simple structure involving metal gable trusses, and the white interior walls create a neutral backdrop for enjoying art.

The commission consisted of a full renovation of an existing 11,000 square foot building and an additional 14,000 square feet of new construction. The two buildings are connected via two glass connectors that create a series of gallery spaces, whose arrangements allow for a powerful and spacious viewing of the art for all visitors.

During the day, sunlight is filtering through the windows and skylights. This is combined with artificial lighting that creates a holistic gallery lighting and allows for optimum visibility of the artwork. Transition spaces are lit more intimately, creating a spatial hierarchy, allowing the galleries to become destination points and giving the visitors unobstructed connection to the outside landscape.