The design team composed of MVRDV, BALANCE Architettura, EP&S Group, Dr Michelangelo Di Gioia and Prof. Filippo Busato won first prize in the two-stage international design competition for the redevelopment, relaunch and enhancement of the GAM (Turin Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art), edging out other prestigious international names.

The official announcement was made yesterday by the promoters of the initiative (Fondazione Torino Musei and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, in collaboration with the City of Turin and with the support of Fondazione per l'architettura-Torino), who promise to give the city a museum that combines technological innovation, environmental sustainability and exhibition quality with the identity of a prestigious modern architecture.

Designed by Carlo Bassi and Goffredo Boschetti in 1959, the GAM was the first Italian museum with a contemporary art section (originally defined as “modern”) and a place that was from the outset open to innovation and experimentation. The redevelopment plan aims to leverage this “experimental” character, creating a museum for the future that can best interpret contemporary needs and open to new forms of cultural expression and interaction with the city. 

In addition to technical and functional adaptation strategies to optimise accessibility, safety, visiting experience and reduce environmental impact, the project interprets the museum as a fully integrated open square in the urban fabric, capable of offering new spaces for interaction and active community participation.

As the winners state: "When we started working on the project, we felt the need to reconsider some of the past interventions. However, our site visit made us realise that several elements needed to be preserved and, in some cases, restored, because this place has a long and valuable history that deserves to be enhanced over time. The project, however, goes beyond the building: it is above all a project of openness. We recognised the GAM as a living place, deeply connected to the city of Turin. Opening up the garden and the square means opening up culture to the city, inviting people to walk through all the spaces, down to the basement and the warehouses. We therefore imagined a truly open building, capable of combining respect for the interiors with great flexibility for future exhibition configurations."

The winning project will be presented to the public in early 2026, once the procedural checks have been carried out. Now we just have to wait to read the new page that will be written in the history of this iconic building.