During the 1970s and 1980s, as Ivrea evolved into a service hub for industry, Olivetti placed an increasing emphasis on corporate identity. This gave rise to the need for a building that could accommodate the company’s new operational and commercial offices while also establishing an ideal dialogue with the existing Office Building.
The project was entrusted in 1985 to Gino Valle, one of the leading figures in the history of Italian architecture and design. Born in Udine in 1923, he became Professor of Architecture in Venice in 1954. There, he also carried out significant product design work for Solari and Zanussi, earning three Compasso d’Oro Awards during his career, followed by a Compasso d’Oro Career Award in 1995.
The building designed by Gino Valle consists of five large square blocks rising six storeys above ground. Its most distinctive feature is an original structural solution: the blocks are hinged to one another at an angle of 3.5°, connected by cylindrical cores housing staircases, lifts and service areas. The result is striking: viewed from above, the overall composition, alongside the Office Building, resembles a shooting star.
The New Office Building stands on an exposed concrete base, which also houses the company cafeteria. The façade is characterised by alternating horizontal bands of white ribbon windows, slightly set back from the street line, and bands of light-red solid brick masonry. The windows are screened by light-coloured blinds that provide shade from the sun while continuously changing the building’s appearance. The circular cores and the base, by contrast, feature porthole windows.
Inside, the spaces are organized to ensure maximum flexibility and functionality, including the use of movable partition walls and raised modular flooring.
