Ivrea is a town and comune in the City of Torino, in Italy’s Piedmont region. In 2018 it was added to the buffer zone of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Ivrea, the Industrial City of the 20th Century,” recognizing its significance in modern industrial and social planning.
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One notable building in Ivrea is Villa Rossi, part of the modernist ensemble created around the Olivetti company. Commissioned in 1959 as one of four villas for Olivetti executives, Villa Rossi reflects the company’s integrated approach to industry, design and community. Olivetti, historically known for typewriters, mechanical calculators and early computers, shaped much of Ivrea’s urban and architectural identity. A UNESCO visitor centre in Ivrea provides context about this industrial heritage; admission is free with reservations recommended on weekends.
Turin-based G Studio, led by architect Erico Giacopelli, recently completed a careful restoration of Villa Rossi. The project aimed to preserve the house’s original character while improving its energy performance and durability. Villa Rossi exemplifies mid-20th-century modernist features—flat roofs, loggias, sunshades and varied sandstone elements—combined with high-quality detailing.
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The restoration addressed façades, sunshades, metalwork and perimeter walls. Sandstone cladding was consolidated and cleaned, damaged glazed terracotta elements were repaired or sympathetically replaced, and metal components were restored to protect their function and appearance. Interior fixtures, including original furnishings and lighting, were conserved where possible to retain the authentic atmosphere of the period.
Giacopelli’s work on Villa Rossi has been presented as a model for restoring and adaptively reusing 20th-century architecture. By combining historical sensitivity with contemporary performance upgrades, the project demonstrates how modernist buildings can be preserved sustainably. The restoration also helped increase awareness among owners and stakeholders about the value of Ivrea’s modern heritage and the responsibilities involved in its upkeep.
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Ivrea lies roughly a 50-minute drive north of central Torino, along the route toward the Aosta Valley. That region offers mountain landscapes, skiing in winter and hiking, biking and wildflower meadows in summer, making Ivrea a convenient base for exploring both industrial heritage and alpine scenery.