The Negozio Olivetti (Olivetti Showroom), located at Piazza San Marco 101, 30124, under the colonnades of the Procuratie Vecchie in the San Marco sestiere of Venice, Italy, is a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture designed by Carlo Scarpa in 1957–1958. Commissioned by Adriano Olivetti, an Italian industrialist and visionary, the showroom was created to display Olivetti’s iconic typewriters and calculators, such as the Lettera 22 and Divisumma, in a space that embodied the company’s commitment to innovation, craftsmanship, and social progress. Managed by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI) since 2011 after a meticulous restoration by Assicurazioni Generali, the Negozio Olivetti is now a museum celebrating Scarpa’s architectural genius and Olivetti’s design legacy. Its modest scale, refined materials, and integration with Venice’s historic context make it a hidden gem in the bustling Piazza San Marco.
The Negozio Olivetti was commissioned in 1957 by Adriano Olivetti,
heir to the Ivrea-based Olivetti Company, founded by his father, Camillo
Olivetti, in 1908 as Italy’s first typewriter factory. Adriano, a
visionary industrialist and social reformer, transformed Olivetti into a
global leader in industrial design, producing iconic products like the
Lettera 22 typewriter (1950), exhibited at MoMA in New York, and the
Divisumma 24 calculator, designed by Marcello Nizzoli. His philosophy of
reinvesting profits for community welfare—through libraries, daycare
centers, and employee support—paralleled his emphasis on aesthetic
excellence, as seen in collaborations with designers like Ettore
Sottsass and architects like Luigi Figini and Gino Pollini. In 1956,
Scarpa won the Olivetti Prize for Architecture, prompting Adriano to
hire him to redesign a small, dark shop under the Procuratie Vecchie
into a flagship showroom, described as a “business card” for the
company.
Opened in 1958, the showroom transformed a cramped,
poorly lit 16th-century space (21 meters deep, 5 meters wide, 4 meters
high) into a luminous, modern exhibition space. Scarpa’s design
respected the historic context of Piazza San Marco while introducing
contemporary materials and techniques, earning praise as a “masterpiece
of 20th-century architecture.” After Olivetti closed the store in 1997,
it briefly became a souvenir shop, an inappropriate use that neglected
its architectural value. In 2009, a committee of the Ministry of
Culture, supported by FAI, initiated a restoration, completed by
Assicurazioni Generali in 2010–2011, to restore its original splendor.
Since 2011, FAI has managed the space as a museum, displaying vintage
Olivetti products and hosting cultural events, such as the 2025
Formafantasma exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale, exploring
consumerism and technological obsolescence.
The Negozio Olivetti is located in the heart of the San Marco
sestiere, under the arcades of the Procuratie Vecchie at Piazza San
Marco 101, near the Sotoportego del Cavaletto and the Arco Celeste,
close to the Bacino Orseolo. Its central position places it steps from
Basilica di San Marco (100 meters), Doge’s Palace (100 meters), Zecca of
Venice (150 meters), Chiesa di San Moisè (300 meters), Chiesa di San
Zulian (400 meters), Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo (500 meters), Scuola
di Santa Maria degli Albanesi (600 meters), and Palazzo Molin del
Cuoridoro (400 meters). The showroom’s discreet corner location
contrasts with the grandeur of Piazza San Marco, offering a quiet
retreat, similar to the tucked-away appeal of Scuola degli Albanesi or
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
The nearest vaporetto stops are San
Marco Vallaresso (Line 1, 200 meters) and San Zaccaria (Lines 1, 2, 4.1,
4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 400 meters), with the Alilaguna service to Venice Marco
Polo Airport (13 km) available at San Zaccaria. The Santa Lucia railway
station is 1.8 km away, reachable by vaporetto or a 25-minute walk via
the Strada Nova. The showroom’s proximity to Piazza San Marco makes it
more accessible than peripheral sites like San Biagio or San Giuseppe di
Castello, but its niche appeal contrasts with the tourist-heavy San
Moisè or Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Managed by FAI, the Negozio
Olivetti is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM (last entry
6:00 PM), with potential closures during acqua alta (high tide above 90
cm). Admission is €10 for adults, €6 for ages 6–18 and students up to
25, €5 for Venice residents, and free for children under 5, FAI members,
and persons with disabilities plus one companion. Family tickets (2
adults + 2 or more children) cost €27. Guided tours in English, offered
every Thursday at 12:00 PM, cost €15 for adults, €11 for ages 6–18 and
students, and €42 for families. Group tours (10–25 participants) with a
dedicated guide cost an additional €40. Tickets and tours are bookable
via www.fondoambiente.it, and audioguides in English are available. The
space is accessible for persons with intellectual disabilities through
the Beni FAI per Tutti project and offers baby carriers and stroller
parking, with small dogs allowed in carriers. Public bathrooms are a
1-minute walk away.
Designed by Carlo Scarpa, a Venetian architect known for his work
with Venini glassworks (1934–1947) and the Venice Biennale, the Negozio
Olivetti is a landmark of 20th-century architecture, blending modernist
innovation with Venetian tradition. Scarpa transformed a narrow, gloomy
16th-century shop into a luminous, open space, respecting the historic
Procuratie Vecchie while introducing contemporary materials and design.
Exterior
The façade, under the Procuratie Vecchie’s arcades, is
understated yet innovative, with large bevelled-glass windows in teak
and marble frames, featuring exposed leaded screws and diagonally cut
corners to soften angles, as noted by Universes in Universe. The windows
maximize light, creating an “osmosis between interior and exterior,” and
are complemented by a concrete base mixed with pebbles, blending with
the arcade’s trachite pavement. The Olivetti logo, chiseled into the
façade with Nizzoli’s “Greek spiral” trademark, integrates branding into
the architecture, a precursor to modern flagship stores like Apple, as
suggested by X posts.
Interior
The interior, measuring 21 x 5
x 4 meters, is a unified space with a mezzanine and upper floor,
reorganized by Scarpa to enhance transparency and flow. Key
architectural features include:
Central Staircase: A sculptural
Aurisina marble staircase, with staggered steps resembling a
typewriter’s mobile carriage or Japanese garden paths, anchors the
space, described as a “masterpiece of lightness and dynamism.” Its
offset design creates a focal point, evoking the fluidity of Venice’s
canals.
Flooring: Murano glass mosaic tiles in red (entrance),
white-grey (central area), blue (side entrance), and yellow (rear)
reflect Venetian tradition and the lagoon’s water movement, as noted by
Inside Venice.
Materials: Carefully selected materials include
Aurisina marble for pillars and the mezzanine landing, rosewood and
African teak for shelves, Venetian plaster over panels, and frosted
glass shielding vertical fluorescent lights. Sliding ebony lamps on
steel cables and teak/rosewood oval grates on upper-floor windows add
elegance.
Fountain: A black marble basin with a marble-and-copper
spout bearing the Olivetti logo supports Alberto Viani’s bronze
sculpture Nudo al Sole (1958), a nod to acqua alta and Venetian
fountains, enhancing the space’s connection to the city.
Upper Floor:
Two long galleries with teak shelves display Olivetti products, with
small office spaces reflecting Scarpa’s meticulous spatial organization.
Scarpa’s design, praised for its “elegant intelligence” and “maniacal
attention to detail,” blends modernist functionality with Venetian
craftsmanship, as noted by FAI and ArchDaily. His collaboration with
Cannaregio artisans, including stonecutters and glassmakers, reflects
his Venini experience, creating a tactile, user-focused space.
The Negozio Olivetti’s artistic significance lies in its
architectural design and curated objects, rather than traditional
artworks like those in San Apostoli or San Giuseppe di Castello. Key
features include:
Nudo al Sole by Alberto Viani (1958): The
bronze sculpture, set above a black marble fountain, welcomes visitors
and complements Scarpa’s design, as noted by FAI and Archivibe.
Olivetti Typewriters and Calculators: A permanent exhibition displays
vintage models like the Lettera 22, Lexikon 80, and Divisumma 24,
designed by Marcello Nizzoli, showcasing Olivetti’s industrial design
legacy. These objects, exhibited at MoMA, are arranged on rosewood and
metal shelves, emphasizing form and color.
Frescoes and Decor: The
walls feature Venetian plaster with subtle stucco, interspersed with
brass fixings and frosted glass, creating a minimalist yet elegant
backdrop, unlike the vibrant frescoes of Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto or
San Geremia.
The showroom’s design itself is considered a work of
art, with Scarpa’s “sculptural elements” and “tactile experience”
likened to a museum, as per Mark English Architects. Its integration of
branding, as noted in Kenneth Park Architects, foreshadows modern retail
like Apple Stores.
The Negozio Olivetti embodies Adriano Olivetti’s vision of combining
industrial innovation with cultural and social responsibility, making it
a landmark of 20th-century design and Venetian heritage. Scarpa’s
design, described as a “marriage of minds” with Olivetti, transformed a
commercial space into a cultural destination, reflecting the company’s
role as a pioneer of Italian design, as seen in its early computers like
the Elea 9003 (1959). The showroom’s location in Piazza San Marco, a
global cultural hub, underscores its role as a “business card” for
Olivetti’s international prestige, akin to the civic significance of the
Zecca of Venice or the aristocratic legacy of Palazzo Balbi.
Managed by FAI since 2011, the showroom hosts cultural events, such as
the 2025 Formafantasma exhibition, aligning with the Venice Architecture
Biennale and reinforcing its contemporary relevance. Its restoration
reflects Venice’s commitment to preserving modern heritage, similar to
efforts for Santa Margherita and Palazzo Basadonna. The showroom’s
influence on retail design, as noted in X posts comparing it to Apple
Stores, highlights its enduring legacy. Its integration of Venetian
materials (Murano glass, Venetian plaster) connects it to local
traditions, akin to the cultural specificity of Scuola degli Albanesi or
San Carmini’s Carmelite devotion.
The Negozio Olivetti is a niche attraction for architecture and
design enthusiasts, praised in Tripadvisor reviews (4.5/5, top 10% of
Venice attractions) for its “gorgeous, tiny space” and “quiet contrast
to Piazza San Marco.” Visitors highlight the “stunning central
staircase” and “Murano glass mosaics,” though some find the €10
admission steep for the small space, recommending guided tours (€15) for
deeper insights. The treasure hunt activity for children, noted as
“engaging” for 5-year-olds, makes it family-friendly, with baby carriers
and stroller parking available. The Sere FAI evening events (June–August
2025), including guided tours and aperitivos, offer exclusive
after-hours access, as promoted on X.
The showroom’s intimate
scale, with a 30-minute tour duration, contrasts with the expansive
galleries of Peggy Guggenheim Collection or the ornate interiors of San
Moisè. Nearby attractions enhance the experience:
Basilica di San
Marco (100 meters): Byzantine masterpiece.
Doge’s Palace (100
meters): Gothic government seat.
Zecca of Venice (150 meters):
Renaissance mint and library.
Dining options like Caffè Florian (200
meters) or Ristorante Quadri (200 meters) offer upscale Venetian
cuisine.
For a family of four seeking affordable three-star
accommodation in San Marco, options include Hotel Al Codega (400 meters)
or Hotel Antico Capon (500 meters), bookable via Booking.com or
Tripadvisor. Visitors should book tickets or tours in advance,
especially during Biennale events, and check acqua alta conditions via
the Hi!Tide app, as flooding may alter hours.