Adriano Olivetti, an Italian entrepreneur, transformed the small town of Ivrea into a model city for workers in the 1950s. Olivetti, the owner of a typewriter factory, was determined to improve the lives of his workers, offering them a range of benefits including paid holidays, maternity leave, and a pension scheme, long before such benefits became standard. He also built schools, a hospital, and a cultural centre, turning the factory town into a thriving community.
Olivetti’s vision extended beyond the factory. He built a series of modernist buildings in the town, designed by leading architects of the time, which are now considered architectural gems. He also commissioned a range of public artworks and established a publishing house, which produced high-quality books and journals.
Despite his efforts, Olivetti’s vision for a utopian city was not fully realised. After his sudden death in 1960, the company began to decline, and many of his initiatives were abandoned. Today, Ivrea is a shadow of its former self, with many of its iconic buildings falling into disrepair. Despite this, the legacy of Olivetti’s vision can still be seen in the town’s unique architecture and its sense of community.
Go to source article: http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/apr/13/story-cities-21-adriano-olivetti-ivrea-italy-typewriter-factory-human-city