GIO PONTI ARREDI VIVI

The book tells the story of the restoration of the furniture designed by Gio Ponti for the rectorate of the University of Padua starting in 1934. The architect curated the spaces down to the finest detail, with meticulous attention and refined elegance. Still in use today, these furnishings represent the best-preserved masterpieces among the numerous works created by the Milanese architect and designer around the world. The philological restoration drew upon drawings, sketches, and specifications preserved in the University's Historical Archive, successfully recovering the playful spirit of color applied across all the furniture, doors, handles, painted walls, and flooring. In its critical reflection, methodology, and range of objects involved, the complexity of this undertaking serves as a benchmark for the restoration of twentieth-century works in other contexts.