The Procuratie Vecchie stretch along the northern edge of St. Mark’s Square in Venice. Built in the 16th century as the official residence and office of the Procurators of St. Mark, the 152-meter-long façade has long been one of the city’s most iconic Renaissance landmarks. In 2017, a new chapter began: for the first time in 500 years, the building would be opened to the public. The Milan office of David Chipperfield Architects was commissioned to oversee the renovation. Their dual task: to restore the historical structure and to adapt it to house The Human Safety Net, the social foundation of Assicurazioni Generali, which owns the building.
Address/Directions
Procuratie Vecchie Venedig
Piazza San Marco, 105
30124 Venice
Directions
“Repairing, unifying, and adapting the many layers of this historic structure was a complex and rewarding challenge that reminded us of architecture’s power—not just as physical form, but as a collaborative process.”
The Procuratie Vecchie form the oldest section of the buildings surrounding St. Mark’s Square. Designed by several architects—including Jacopo Sansovino—they exemplify early Renaissance ideals of symmetry, ornament, and civic grandeur. Since their construction, the buildings remained closed to the public for half a millennium.
Generali Insurance first rented space in the building in 1831, later becoming its owner. Their long-standing connection to the Procuratie made them the ideal stewards for their transformation.
David Chipperfield Architects were tasked with restoring the offices on the first and second floors and converting the attic level into public exhibition spaces. This upper floor now houses a permanent exhibition, an auditorium, a café, a library, and various communal areas.
At the core of the architectural intervention is a new staircase that connects the renovated attic level with the floors below. The stairway culminates in a new Central Pavilion, positioned between the courtyards to allow light to filter in and provide access to two rooftop terraces. The enfilade of interconnected rooms in the attic creates a spatial experience that reveals the building’s full length from within.
Chipperfield’s team exposed the original brick walls and inserted tall cast stone portals with rounded arches that mirror the exterior arcades. The materials and techniques were carefully chosen to respect Venetian traditions: textured lime plaster on the sharp-edged staircase, terrazzo for stair treads, and historic flooring methods such as cocciopesto and pastellone.
Throughout the building, doors and windows are fitted with bronze hardware from the FSB 1004 series—originally designed by David Chipperfield himself. The fittings preserve the minimalist ideals of modernism while blending seamlessly into the historic context of the Procuratie Vecchie. Patinated and waxed, the handles contribute to the building’s material richness without drawing attention away from the architecture.
Since April 2022, the newly renovated upper floor has been open to the public. Among its offerings is A World of Potential, an interactive permanent exhibition exploring social engagement and emerging technologies.
