Prada's new arts campus has design by Rem Koolhaas and Wes Anderson
OMA, the architectural practice founded by Rem Koolhaas, have converted a former industrial complex in Milan, Italy, into a new home for designer Miuccia Prada’s Fondazione Prada.
Fondazione Prada was established by Miuccia Prada in 1993 as a cultural organisation dedicated to the arts, cinema and philosophy. The new venue opens to the public on 9 May.
The 19,000sq m (204,500sq ft) art campus, has been seven years in the works and was masterplanned by the OMA team of Koolhaas, Chris van Duijn and Federico Pompignoli.
Commissioned by Fondazione Prada, the project blends modern and traditional architecture with the regeneration of a 20th century factory. Local architects Alvisi Kirimoto & Partners and Atelier Verticale also worked on the project, while Favero&Milan acted as structural engineers.
The former gin distillery comprised warehouses, laboratories and brewing silos. The redevelopment leaves seven of the existing buildings and adds three new structures. These contain a museum, cinema, auditorium, space for temporary exhibitions and a 10-storey permanent exhibition space to house the foundation’s collection.
The building also has a café designed by film director Wes Anderson and a large exhibition pavilion.
The standout feature is a building known as the Haunted House – a structure clad in 24-carat gold leaf, with only the glass on the windows remaining exposed.
“The Fondazione is not a preservation project and not a new architecture project,” said Rem Koolhaas. “Two conditions that are usually kept separate here confront each other in a state of permanent interaction – offering an ensemble of fragments, each of which will keep its own identity, while not dominating the others."
He added: “New, old, horizontal, vertical, wide, narrow, white, black, open, enclosed – all these contrasts establish the range of oppositions that define the new Fondazione. By introducing so many spatial variables, the complexity of the architecture will create a positive tension between the art and the architecture.”


Scott Brownrigg-designed Museum of Military Medicine in Cardiff given planning approval

Work starts on US$898m e-sports arena in Shanghai


OMA designs Miami Beach's ReefLine – a seven mile-long underwater sculpture park

Ole Scheeren and Shigeru Ban team up to design art and cultural destination in Hangzhou

FIFA files criminal complaint over funding of €459m world football museum

ReardonSmith leads design of Heya – a hotel room concept offering personalisation for each guest

Disney reveals first visuals of ambitious Star Wars attraction – including designs for hotel 'pods'

Flaxmill Maltings – the world's first cast-iron framed building – is to be redeveloped as a visitor attraction by Mather & Co

LVMH announces Bulgari Hotel for Miami Beach, with design by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

Technogym opens retail store in Los Angeles

AZPML and UKST win competition to design Korean Museum of Urbanism and Architecture

Delos partners with TPP Capital to advance access to health and wellbeing solutions in urban communities

The Well creates integrated wellness retreat in New England countryside for Auberge Resorts

Architects 10 Design reveal plans for ambitious Edinburgh city centre plans

Perth's Boola Bardip museum opens in new AU$400m building designed by Hassell and OMA

UK Government's £1bn scheme to decarbonise is 'a huge opportunity' for the leisure industries

Museum devoted to the history of the US Army opens its doors

Architrave designs Banyan Tree Krabi with rainforest-themed spa

Anantara to debut in Seychelles following rebrand of luxury Bill Bensley-designed resort

World’s first energy-positive hotel and spa to be completed with interiors by Space Copenhagen

3XN design Denmark’s first climate-positive hotel with rooftop spa

BRC Imagination Arts completes new Glenkinchie Distillery brand home for Diageo as part of cycle of Scottish whisky attractions

First look: Contreras Earl Architecture creates Living Coral Biobank for the Great Barrier Reef Legacy

Heatherwick Studio reveals plans for 'The Cove' on San Francisco waterfront

Millimetre Design create new spa for Johnstown Estate in Ireland

B2Ai and SCAU to design new €100m Club Brugge stadium

Legorreta + Legorreta reveal cascading hillside design for Four Seasons Tamarindo

Celebrating Terence Conran

Nikken Sekki and Layan Architects + Designers design mountainside resort in Japan for Ritz-Carlton

Croatian architect Tomislav Alujevic creates contemporary eco resort in Hvar
