Casa Sanlorenzo: Venice’s Contemporary Art Hub
In a city where history whispers from every stone and canal, Venice continues to embrace innovation without losing its soul. The latest chapter in its ongoing cultural renaissance is the opening of Casa Sanlorenzo, a new multidisciplinary space dedicated to contemporary art, architecture, and sustainability. Created by Sanlorenzo—internationally renowned for its cutting-edge luxury yachts—Casa Sanlorenzo is more than a gallery: it is a living dialogue between art, design, and ecological awareness.
Located in the artistic heart of Venice, in the Dorsoduro district just steps from Punta della Dogana, Casa Sanlorenzo redefines how we experience art and architecture in the 21st century. The space reflects a new vision of contemporary culture—one that seeks authenticity, questions tradition, and embraces environmental responsibility.
Casa Sanlorenzo, Venice
A Contemporary Space Reimagining Venetian Architecture
Casa Sanlorenzo is housed in a restored mid-20th-century building, now transformed by celebrated architect Piero Lissoni and his team at Lissoni & Partners. Rather than mimicking historic Venetian architecture, Lissoni opted for a bold, minimalist intervention that creates a dialogue between past and present. Inspired by the legacy of Venetian modernist Carlo Scarpa, the new design integrates sharp lines, natural materials, and contemporary forms with quiet reverence for the original structure.
Spanning over 1,000 square meters across two floors and surrounded by a 600-square-meter garden, the space overlooks the majestic domes of Santa Maria della Salute, the Baroque masterpiece by Baldassarre Longhena. The garden alone offers a rare oasis in Venice, while the interiors serve as a flexible platform for exhibitions, installations, talks, and cultural programs.
Lissoni’s intervention includes a striking glass staircase and a sleek pedestrian bridge at the entrance—both architectural elements as much as symbolic gestures. “The bridge had to reflect what happens inside the city,” Lissoni explains. “It was conceived as a pure technological act—almost a mathematical formula crystallized in structure.” This minimalist bridge welcomes visitors not just physically, but conceptually, inviting them into a space of reflection and innovation.
The bridge leading to the entrance of Casa Sanlorenzo
The 600-square-meter garden will host installations and artworks.
Sanlorenzo Arts: Where Contemporary Art Meets Vision
Casa Sanlorenzo was born as the official home of Sanlorenzo Arts, a cultural initiative aimed at fostering contemporary art in dialogue with design, architecture, and sustainability. During its opening days, the space presented significant works by major figures such as Alighiero Boetti, Lucio Fontana, and Emil Michael Klein, showcasing the depth and diversity of the Sanlorenzo private collection. Covering an artistic timeline from the 1960s to the present, the collection will continue to evolve, enriching Venice’s dynamic art ecosystem.
According to Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo, the space is “a place to stop, reflect, and share. A space of research where art does not simply decorate, but questions. Where beauty carries ethics. In an increasingly virtual world, we chose to invest in physical presence, in human connection, in experience.”
Venice, with its layers of history and constant transformation, provides the perfect context. “Venice forces you to slow down,” Perotti adds. “It demands reflection—and that’s exactly what this space invites.”
Upstairs, a room houses artworks by Alighiero Boetti and Lucio Fontana, part of Sanlorenzo’s private collection.
Architecture in the Service of Culture and Community
Casa Sanlorenzo was not only an architectural project but also a cultural mission. The building—originally constructed between 1942 and 1948—was long abandoned before its transformation. Lissoni and his team worked closely with local artisans, preserving structural integrity while rewriting its purpose. “We didn’t want to replicate a faux-Venetian look,” Lissoni says. “This wasn’t about nostalgia. It was about giving birth to a new story.”
Now, the building is an energy-neutral structure, featuring custom-designed elements for ventilation, thermal insulation, and light optimization. Every detail—from floor to ceiling—was designed with sustainability in mind. It stands as an architectural symbol of the potential for merging historical preservation with future-forward innovation.
Inside, the layout includes a private apartment and expansive gallery areas connected seamlessly with outdoor space. Natural light flows through wide windows, illuminating works of art and transforming the space depending on the time of day and season.
The glass staircase echoes the original geometries but is reimagined
with materials like glass and steel, bringing lightness to the space
Lower floor, Casa Sanlorenzo
A Key Venue for Venice Climate Week and Beyond
Casa Sanlorenzo made its debut during the inaugural Venice Climate Week (June 3–8, 2025), an international event dedicated to sustainability and environmental transformation. As one of its official venues, the space hosted a series of panels titled Sanlorenzo Talks, which featured leading voices from the scientific, artistic, and business communities.
One of the keynote speakers was Jeremy Rifkin, renowned economist and sustainability theorist, who discussed the “Third Industrial Revolution” and the intersection of climate, technology, and culture. These events exemplify how Casa Sanlorenzo goes beyond aesthetics to become a space for intellectual and civic engagement.
The opening also featured Sanlorenzo’s latest innovation in sustainable yachting—the 50Steel Almax, docked at the nearby Zattere. This hybrid yacht is part of the company’s “Road to 2030” strategy, which includes the development of bi-fuel green methanol propulsion systems, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by up to 70% by 2027.
An Inclusive Cultural Laboratory for Venice
Casa Sanlorenzo is not simply a museum or gallery; it is a cultural laboratory. It’s a space designed for artists, architects, curators, thinkers, and the public to come together in pursuit of new ideas. It embraces diversity and welcomes experimentation across disciplines—turning Venice into a global platform for the future of contemporary art and architecture.
Its program will include rotating exhibitions, artist residencies, curated installations, and public events—each designed to ignite conversation and community. The architecture encourages movement and interaction, reinforcing the idea that art is not static but living and dynamic.
In the words of Lissoni, “This is a machine for stories. Nothing more, nothing less. A white box designed to hold all kinds of art—especially the kind that doesn’t yet exist.”
Why Casa Sanlorenzo Matters
In a city as layered and mythologized as Venice, opening a new space for contemporary art and architecture is no small gesture. Casa Sanlorenzo stands as proof that tradition and innovation are not at odds but can coexist in a meaningful way. It challenges the notion of Venice as a city frozen in time and repositions it as a vibrant laboratory of the present.
For visitors, it offers not only access to world-class exhibitions but also a window into a broader conversation about sustainability, design, and the role of art in shaping our future. For artists and thinkers, it’s an open invitation to contribute to that conversation.
Whether you’re exploring Venice’s cultural scene or seeking a fresh perspective on contemporary art and architecture, Casa Sanlorenzo is a must-visit destination—rooted in place, but looking ahead.