As part of ongoing initiatives to enhance the visitor experience at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, one of the country’s most important art museums, VIA (formerly Front) developed a conceptual design for a new structural glass pedestrian bridge that connects the existing exhibition spaces of the Pinacoteca with Palazzo Citterio, which will host the museum’s extensive collections of Italian Modern art in an adjacent historic building. Palazzo Citterio will house the museum’s modern art collection, while the existing Brera Pinacoteca galleries will continue to house a collection of masterpieces dating from the Middle Ages to the late 1800s. The pedestrian bridge therefore acts as a transition between historical eras and styles, offering visitors a processional and contemplative experience before entering the new wing. The bridge is delicately elevated above Milan’s oldest botanical garden, with pillars touching down in the garden at a single location. The structural glass panels and stainless steel trim visually dematerialise the structure amongst the tree canopy and defer to the surrounding historic buildings and landscape. This approach is in keeping with the design practice of using interventions that are respectful of historical context.

After the successful design studies for the glass bridge at the Brera Museum Garden, VIA (formerly as Front) was engaged by Brera to propose a design feature within the Palazzo Citterio building, connecting the floors with a feature staircase. VIA designed and engineered a suspended glass bearing wall to support treads made of high-strength aluminum and glass risers.