Archetech Issue 37 2018 | Page 55

Piuarch’s Valtellina Diary Store has been selected for “Arcipelago Italia. Projects for the future of the country’s interior territories”, the theme of the project by curator Mario Cucinella for the Italian Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale (May 26 - November 25, 2018), promoted by the MiBACT. A land of infinite differences, of practically irreconcilable cultures, of sea and mountains, plains, lakes, small towns and hamlets unique in the world: this is Italy, and it is precisely its complex physiognomy – an extraordinary group of identities – that inspired the theme of the Italian Pavilion at the 16th edition of the Biennale Architettura 2018. “Arcipelago Italia. Projects for the future of the country’s interior territories” is in fact the theme of curator Mario Cucinella’s project at the famous Venetian kermesse: it contains those places, often far from the nerve centers of production and the increasingly international business districts, where the landscape it is still largely rural and authentic. In this cross-section of the Bel Paese, the exhibition investigates and celebrates the territories of tradition, which are facing or have been able to face small but significant changes with exemplary actions. The map moves from the south to the earthquake-hit areas of central Italy, up to the Alpine settings in the north: it is this geographical belt in particular that concerns the Valtellina Diary Store project, designed by Piuarch for an invited competition and selected by Mario Cucinella for the exhibition at the Italian Pavilion, scheduled from May 26 to November 25, 2018. IN THIS CROSS-SECTION OF THE BEL PAESE, THE EXHIBITION INVESTIGATES AND CELEBRATES THE TERRITORIES OF TRADITION, WHICH ARE FACING OR HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FACE SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WITH EXEMPLARY ACTIONS.