Enzo Ferrari Birthplace Museum Opens in Modena

A new museum located at the birthplace and childhood home of Ferrari's founder, Enzo Ferrari, recently opened in the Italian village of Modena. In slight contrast to the Ferrari museum located near the gates of the storied brand's Maranello headquarters, this one focuses on celebrating the life of the mercurial industrialist as well as the automobiles he created. The Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari was designed by Czech-born architect Jan Kaplický, who unfortunately died before the first shovelful of dirt was turned. The project fell to his protégé, Andrea Morgante, who "imagined how his mentor would have proceeded" to complete the project. "We want it to be more of an art gallery than a place dedicated to hard-core motoring," said Morgante in a recent Independent interview. "Maranello is just a container containing cars. Here, we wanted a structure that not only attracts people interested in Ferraris, but also people who might come and have a coffee in the garden." Despite suffering years of decay and a residency of squatters, the traditional European home—which Ferrari sold to finance his dreams—and the attached garage where Enzo's father worked remained unmolested. A group of investors convinced the owners to convert it for museum use. Now, multimedia presentations document Enzo's life as driver and builder. Memorabilia includes his trademark dark sunglasses, his birth certificate, and a violet pen he famously used to ink contracts. The offices of Fondazione Casa Natale Enzo Ferrari, the foundation behind the museum's construction, reside in the home as well. The new exhibition center located behind the home is designed to "resemble a piece of a Ferrari," a sentiment evidenced by its aluminum roof structure—Fly Yellow, of course—perforated by two rows of skylights. All elements combine to evoke a car's hood with air vents. The glass façade stretches asymmetrically towards the left, reaching out to the original brick building where Enzo was born on February 18, 1898. Fittingly, the new building employs several cutting-edge construction techniques, including tensioned stainless-steel rods to support the glass on the front; initial plans to use Kevlar were vetoed by the fire department. The core structure features an all-aluminum shell, assembled from aluminum extrusions connected by tongue-and-groove joints. The first exhibit, "The Origins of the Myth,"  is scheduled to present a mix of Ferraris, Maseratis, Alfa Romeos, and Fiats that Enzo Ferrari raced and built, including a 1914 Alfa Romeo 40-60 and a Ferrari 125S from 1947, the first car to carry its maker's name. As the museum does not own any exhibits, it will borrow from private collectors. The next exhibit starts in June; it will focus on the rivalry between Ferrari and Maserati, both of which are now owned by Fiat. The complex also houses a documentation center, an educational center, a conference room, a book shop, and a cafeteria. An elegant place to exhibit beautiful cars, the center is also available for conferences, launches, and cultural events. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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