Piero Portaluppi
Villa Necchi Campiglio
- ArchitectPiero Portaluppi
- PhotographerBarbara Verduci, Valeria Raffaele, Lorenzo Pesce & Gabriele Basilico
MICHAEL UBBESEN Villa Necchi is an iconic work by Piero Portaluppi, a house that continues to fascinate through its balance of modernist clarity and rich craftsmanship. What inspires me most are the details: the marble work in the bathrooms, sculptural in its precision, and the refined wooden elements that add warmth and tactility. I also find great inspiration in the kitchen and utility spaces, where functionality is elevated through careful proportions and timeless material choices.
The villa
Nestled within a spacious private garden in the heart of Milan, complete with a swimming pool and tennis court, Villa Necchi Campiglio stands as a rare example of rationalist architecture blended with refined elegance. Designed by the celebrated architect Piero Portaluppi and completed in 1935, the villa was commissioned by the Necchi Campiglio family, prominent members of Milan’s affluent industrial bourgeoisie.
The layout follows the classical organization of noble residences: reception and daytime rooms on the ground floor, bedrooms upstairs, staff quarters tucked under the roof, and a basement dedicated to leisure and amenities, including a den, changing rooms, and poolside baths. What set the villa apart at the time was not only its scale and refinement, but also its modern innovations - it was among the first private homes in Milan to feature an indoor elevator, central heating, and a private swimming pool, symbols of sophistication and modern comfort.
The family envisioned the residence as a space of social prestige, devoting expansive rooms to hospitality and leisure - the dining room, smoking room, library, and grand salon all designed for entertaining Milan’s elite.
After World War II, the architect Tomaso Buzzi was invited to reimagine certain interiors. He softened Portaluppi’s rigorous rationalist lines with a more romantic touch, introducing decorative flourishes inspired by the 18th century, particularly the Rococo elegance of Louis XV - style interiors, creating a layered dialogue between modernist rigor and historical charm.
Today, Villa Necchi Campiglio is not only an architectural landmark but also a living museum, preserved by FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano). Its rooms still display original furnishings, fine artworks, and decorative arts, including pieces by Giorgio de Chirico, Medardo Rosso, and Canaletto, offering visitors a glimpse into the cultivated lifestyle of Milan’s cultural and industrial elite of the 1930s and beyond.
