The Fondazione Chiara e Francesco Carraro has announced the restoration of the former Cinema Altino in Padua, a historic movie theater that opened in 1951 and closed in 2006. The building, a protected modernist landmark designed by futurist architect Quirino De Giorgio, will be converted into a new cultural institution hosting exhibitions, screenings, performances, and interdisciplinary activities. The project, led by architect Giuseppe Cangialosi of studio mzc+, will transform the main 756-seat auditorium into an exhibition space and the lower Mignon cinema into a multifunctional venue. Construction is set to begin in July 2026 and is expected to last one year.
The new Altino will be built around the collection of the Fondazione Chiara e Francesco Carraro, one of the most important private collections dedicated to 20th-century Italian art. It includes works by masters of Magical Realism and Metaphysical art such as Antonio Donghi, Giorgio Morandi, and Giorgio de Chirico, along with significant holdings in sculpture, historical design, and Murano glass art by Carlo Scarpa and Paolo Venini. The project matters because it not only preserves a significant piece of 20th-century architecture but also creates a new cultural hub in Padua, expanding the city's cultural offerings and fostering dialogue between historical and contemporary art, while engaging the local community and student population.