The two floors of the former Contemporary Art Pavilion at Palazzo Massari have been completely redesigned to facilitate the enjoyment of the precious materials of the Antonioni Archive and share the master’s cultural legacy. The architectural design, by Rome-based studio Alvisi Kirimoto, outlines a clear, fluid and dynamic exhibition route reminiscent of one of Antonioni’s sequence plans.

On the ground floor, five monolithic exhibition baffles punctuate the chapters of the museum’s narrative, culminating in immersive rooms dedicated to viewing sequences from Antonioni’s cinema. The experience of the visit is enhanced by the gray-scale color progression of the walls that shape an abstract space, recalling the atmospheres sought by the director in his films. The exhibition baffles are designed to serve diverse functions, bringing different mediums into dialogue: full walls for hanging paintings and posters alternate with integrated monitors and large display cases for exhibiting objects, documents and photos.

On the second floor, a “spatial explosion” triggered by panels that translate and rotate allows the large, open and versatile hall to be modulated to suit the various functional needs of museum programming: open space for screenings, lectures and events, modular environments for temporary set-ups, and spaces for workshops.