Sometimes business trips turn out to be as enjoyable as personal ones. I had the chance to spend a day at Mondadori’s HQ, one of Italy's leading publishers. It was an incredibly stimulating experience where we delved into the group's approach to digital content and the new challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.
This visit was a real journey through history and innovation. I've always been fascinated by the stories of entrepreneurs behind brands. Italy is full of such narratives, well-known locally but not necessarily abroad. So, I thought I’d share this one with you.
Arnoldo Mondadori, a key figure in 20th-century Italian publishing, was born in 1889 in a small town in the Mantua Province. Arnoldo came from a poor background. He left school after the fifth grade to work, but his love for reading and his knack for communication never left him. Locals nicknamed him Incantabiss—the snake charmer—for his persuasive abilities. He started as a traveling salesman and later managed a printing shop, which he eventually took over.
During the early socialist movements, Mondadori wanted to support his ideals, creating a newspaper called Luce and establishing the printing house La Sociale in Ostiglia. However, his ambition didn’t stop there. He dreamed of starting a publishing company. He needed a prominent author and found one in Tomaso Monicelli, the father of future famed director Mario Monicelli. This marked the beginning of Mondadori's publishing empire. With a clear vision to bring quality literature to everyone and foster a culture of reading in Italy, Mondadori's early years were defined by perseverance and a keen eye for talent. He built strong relationships with authors, providing them a platform to reach a wider audience. Crucially, his encounters with poet Gabriele D'Annunzio and Walt Disney played a pivotal role. Through Topolino (Mickey Mouse), the iconic I Gialli series (which gave the Italian crime genre its name), and various periodicals, Mondadori entered Italian homes, becoming a household name. The success of works by diverse authors, from Ungaretti to Hemingway, solidified Mondadori's leading position in the publishing world.
To continue the thread with Veneto, Mondadori's first printing plant was based in Verona. It became a pioneering reference point in Europe because books were printed using rotary presses like newspapers, allowing for large print runs and more affordable prices. This was aimed at a new audience emerging from the Italian Economic Boom, eager to build and grow culturally, with books becoming the cornerstone of this cultural hunger. In 1965, Mondadori launched a series of paperback books, the Oscar Mondadori, experimenting with a new sales channel: newsstands, edicole, a symbol of Italian identity. Suddenly, books were no longer a luxury item. It’s inspiring to see how one man’s vision can have such a profound impact on a nation’s culture.
It was during these years that Mondadori's timeless logo was born. The monogram, which incorporates the founder's initials, was designed by Bob Noorda, arguably the greatest Italian graphic designer (though Dutch by birth). He is the mastermind behind the signage for the Milan and New York subways, as well as many of Italy's major brands like Coop, Agip, and Feltrinelli. If you want to delve deeper into his work, I highly recommend reading this book.
As Mondadori's influence grew and its workforce expanded from 335 to 3000 employees, the need for new headquarters became clear. The task was given to renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, one of the 20th century's most important architects and a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete. Niemeyer, known for his dynamic and sinuous forms, was often described as a "sculptor" of monuments.
“It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve – the curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the body of the beloved woman.”
In 1964, a coup in Brazil led to a military dictatorship, forcing Niemeyer to flee to Europe due to his political views. Arnoldo and his son Giorgio Mondadori, impressed by a visit to the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, commissioned Niemeyer to design their new headquarters in Segrate. Niemeyer also designed the Mondadori family villa in Cap Ferrat.
Completed in the 1970s, the headquarters is perhaps one of Niemeyer's most mature works. Its most distinctive feature is its suspended structure, giving the impression that the building is floating above the ground. The primary materials used in the building are glass, concrete and steel, yet it maintains a connection to Niemeyer's homeland also through the use of azulejos for decorating certain parts of the structure.
The building is surrounded by a large artificial lake, which enhances the floating effect. This lake serves several functions, such as collecting water for irrigation, fire suppression, and cooling the air conditioning systems. The main building is flanked by two low, sinuous structures resembling leaves emerging from the lake.
Above the lake stands a work by Arnaldo Pomodoro, the Colonna dai grandi fogli, a monument to communication, symbolizing its power and truth. The building is set within a lush park designed by landscape architect Pietro Porcinai.
To compensate for the moving outside of Milan, employees received additional pay for working in a “remote location” and had access to company shuttles. In the Agorà, a porticoed square reminiscent of an old Brazilian fazenda, employees could find a bank, a grocery store, a bookstore, and a canteen—some of these amenities are still in use today. Quite an innovation for that time!
On the train ride back home, stocked up with books, I reflected on the exciting day I had and how a company over a hundred years old keeps adapting to the digital age and embracing new technologies. I also noticed the parallel with my previous article: another entrepreneurial story intertwined with the work of an architectural genius. A tale of passion, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Amazing story!
As a brand consultant this is wonderful to read. Sometimes organisations are truly inspiring.