Architetture, progetti e visioni. La storia del Santa Maria della Scala va in mostra a Siena
The Fondazione Antico Ospedale Santa Maria della Scala in Siena has launched a new regeneration project for the historic complex, 40 years after it ceased functioning as a hospital. The foundation, led by president Cristiano Leone and director Chiara Valdambrini, commissioned Luca Molinari Studio to analyze the original design by Guido Canali and coordinate a collaborative masterplan involving three international architecture firms: LAN Architecture, Odile Decq with Pangalos Feldmann Architectes, and Hannes Peer Architecture. An exhibition titled "Santa Maria della Scala. Architetture, progetti e visioni" will open on May 30, 2026, curated by Luca Molinari, showcasing the architectural plans and visions for the site.
This project matters because it represents a shift from rigid, top-down museum planning to a flexible, collaborative model that treats the Santa Maria della Scala as a living urban organism. Rather than entrusting the entire complex to a single architecture firm, the foundation has adopted a "conceptual exoskeleton" approach that allows different architectural languages to coexist and adapt over time. This methodology reflects a contemporary understanding of museums not just as exhibition spaces but as archives, educational centers, and community hubs, potentially setting a precedent for how historic cultural institutions can be regenerated in a participatory and adaptive way.