“PM23” Cultural Space

The inseparable link between art and fashion constitutes the very essence of PM23, the cultural exhibition space in the heart of Rome created by the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation (FVG), whose philanthropic programs over nearly ten years have continued to promote the visionary work of its two founders. Located in Piazza Mignanelli 23 – hence the name PM23 – and adjacent to Maison Valentino’s historic headquarters, this exhibition space is intrinsically bound up with the couturier’s identity. It was here that Valentino’s first fashion shows were staged in the late 1950s. The recent project, curated by Nemesi Architects in partnership with the clients, both passionate art collectors, sought to redefine how architecture, art, and fashion intermingle by using a blend of classical and contemporary architecture based on the premise that “Beauty creates Beauty”, FVG’s own founding principle.

The project involved a wing of Palazzo Gabrielli Mignanelli built in one of the courtyards in the late 19^th century to house a school and printing house for the Vatican’s Propaganda Fide. The restoration and redevelopment project for a new multi-disciplinary cultural space hosting temporary exhibitions, educational courses, and other events was based on philological investigation aimed at recovering the building’s original spatial configuration. At the same time, however, and in full agreement with the clients, the designers were adamant that the adaptive reuse project should not just celebrate a glorious past but also incorporate modern-day art and beauty and so, breathe new life into an existing historical context, promoting creativity and talent of our times.

Nemesi’s design has retained the most significant elements of the rooms. Superfluous accretions were eliminated and major changes proposed, especially regarding the structurally problematic roofs. However, the...

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