Margherita Parati, Gennaro Postiglione, Clelia Pozzi

Abstract

Museum and libraries have undergone profound transformation processes in recent decades. From announcing national identities and monophonic narratives, they have been turned into supporters of new pluralistic civic communities, capable of responding to ever-changing needs and the hunger for «multiplicity» seeded in today’s transnational culture. The paper offers some remarks on the situation, moving from a shared theoretical panorama and focusing on three key interrelated concepts:  migrations, vibrations, multiplicity. This structure represents an initial operative approach of the research group of the Politecnico di Milano within the general framework of the European project MeLA (www.mela-project.eu): a project that reflects on the future role of museums and libraries with the purpose of defining forms and strategies for the conservation, exhibition and transmission of transcultural knowledge.

Margherita Parati is an architect and PhD candidate in Interior architecture and exhibition design at Politecnico di Milano. She is presently involved in collaborative research in the EU project MeLA – European Museums in an age of migrations.

Gennaro Postiglione is associate professor of interior architecture at Politecnico di Milano. His research focus largely on domestic interiors, museography and on the interactions between the two fields. Since 2006 he has been the promoter of PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE@POLIMI, an interdisciplinary research group that puts architecture at the service of public interest. He is currently serving as technical manager for the EU-granted research MeLA: European Museums in an age of migrations (www.mela-project.eu). Among his publications are: The Atlantikwall as military archaeological landscape, with Michela Bassanelli (Letteraventidue 2011); 100 houses for 100 architects (Taschen 2008); Sverre Fehn works, with C. Norberg-Schulz (Electa 2007).

Clelia Pozzi is an architect and holds a MDesS degree in history and philosophy of design from the Harvard graduate school of design. She is presently collaborating in the EU project MeLA – European Museums in an age of migrations.