“Just inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century, #Italy. Congratulations!” With this Tweet, UNESCO announced the listing of the Piedmontese city as the 57th Italian site considered a World Heritage. The decision was taken during the 42nd World Heritage Committee that is taking place in Manama, Bahrain, and that will go on until July 4th.
Founded in 1908 by Camillo Olivetti, the industrial city of Ivrea developed mainly between the 1930s and the 1960s under the direction of Adriano Olivetti – in parallel with the family company, “Olivetti”, manufacturer of typewriters, mechanical calculators, and office computers – and comprises a large factory and buildings designed to serve the administration and social services, as well as residential units. This architectural ensemble, designed by leading Italian urban planners and architects, reflects the ideas of the Community Movement. As a social project, Ivrea expresses a modern vision of the relationship between industrial production and architecture.
The Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, Alberto Bonisoli, said that he is “happy and excited, both as Italian citizen and as Minister of Cultural Heritage, for the recognition of Adriano Olivetti’s humanistic conception of work.”
The nomination was promoted by the municipality of Ivrea and the Adriano Olivetti Foundation, together with the Guelpa Foundation, the Piedmont Region, the Metropolitan City of Turin and the municipality of Banchette.
(Ilona Catani Scarlett)