The exhibition as a laboratory emerged from a long intellectual exchange with director Luigi Gallo, along with a group of artists and designers who were invited to bring a contemporary, original perspective to an existing architectural heritage. The goal was to rethink the building itself, not just as a historical structure but as a living space for reflection and creative dialogue.

One of the key elements of the project is its collaboration with the ISIA of Urbino, where students, faculty, and collaborating artists worked together to explore various aspects of the building. The exhibition touches on the idea of the building as a “living organism,” a space that is constantly inhabited by art, people, and its caretakers. Armin Linke’s photography captures this dynamic interaction, while other sections look at the architectural details in a fresh light, such as Francesco di Giorgio Martini’s machines reinterpreted by illustrator Guido Scarabottolo, or a precise inventory of the building’s elements—like windows, chimneys, and floors—carefully documented by photography students led by Paola Binante.

In addition to these detailed explorations, the exhibition also approaches the building as a symbolic “open book,” where typography itself is part of the architectural narrative, thanks to the work of Jonathan Pierini and Radim Peško. These diverse viewpoints come together in a broader reflection on the building as a whole, especially through three thought-provoking discussions: one on the work of Giancarlo De Carlo with Sara Marini and Alberto Petracchin, another on the building’s geometric and mathematical aspects with Franco Purini, and finally, an exploration of the relationship between the building and the surrounding landscape with Annalisa Metta.

The exhibition design project weaves these various voices and perspectives into a harmonious dialogue, offering a respectful and nuanced exploration of the space itself.