Olivetti Theatre , Ivrea / Italien

 

YAC s.r.l.

Young Architects Competitions

Via Borgonuovo 5

40125 Bologna, Italia

 

in collaboration with

Manni Group

 

Some entrepreneurial stories transcend their time.

 

Stories of visionaries that become legends, of men and women capable of imagining a different world, challenging the ordinary and, thus, molding the future.

The name of Olivetti belongs among these stories.

 

The first computers, the economic boom, the industrial city of Ivrea: Olivetti is the Italian expression of an enlightened entrepreneurship that has left a mark, becoming the icon of philanthropy and social progress.

 

A global story with strong Italian roots, ingrained in the small city of Ivrea, which today bears the marks of the economic miracle of the time, molded into what Le Corbusier defined as “the most beautiful street in the world”.

 

Big architecture with a distinctly modern taste pairs with large green expanses, reaching a high quality in the life and work environment which still today, in many contexts, is hard to achieve – as it is the result of an ethical vision of the human being, work, and society.

 

Despite some unfavourable events, Olivetti’s legacy still pulses vigorously, represented today – among the various initiatives – by the OLI Institute, a school of excellence based on Olivetti’s leadership model, which is housed in the old library from 1958.

 

Today, the institute dreams big and – supported by Manni Group – invites designers to imagine the completion of the original plan of the library – which was never fully realised –, through the creation of the third, never-constructed building of the Olivetti complex along with a large auditorium.

 

This is the question of Olivetti Theatre, the competition by Yac and Manni Group to continue in the design of one of the most known entrepreneurial and architectural stories on the planet, defining a new time for one of the names of Italian entrepreneurship which has made history: Olivetti.

 

YAC and Manni Group thank the designers who will take on this challenge.

 

Early Bird Registration (€ 65 / team): December 15, 2025 – January 18, 2026

Standard Registration (€ 85 / team): January 19, 2026 – February 15, 2026

Late Registration (€ 115 / team): February 16, 2026 – March 15, 2026

Material Submission Deadline: March 18, 2026

Jury Summoning: March 30, 2026

Results Announcement: May 4, 2026

 

Michele De Lucchi, AMDL Circle

Enrico Frizzera, Manni Group

Bernard Plancade, Rockwool

Fabrizio Prete, ISOPAN

Francesca Torzo, Francesca Torzo Architetto

Antonella Andriani, ADI

Cristina Morbi, Maetherea

Dario Da Ros, Panattoni Italy

Stefano Zordan, OLI

Matteo Olivetti

Maurizio Varratta, Maurizio Varratta Architect

 

1st Prize: € 6000

2nd Prize: € 3000

3rd Prize: € 2000

 

Gold Mention Manni Sipre "The power of steel": € 1000

Gold Mention Isopan - Manni Green Tech "Aesthetics that lasts": € 1000

Gold Mention Isopan "Flat Roof": € 1000

Gold Mention ROCKWOOL "Fire Safety": € 1000

 

10 Honorable Mentions

30 Finalists