Il cucchiaio e la città. Collezione Storica Compasso d'Oro

Il cucchiaio e la città is the permanent exhibition of the ADI Design Museum. It is based on the Collezione Storica del Compasso d’Oro, which has been recognized by the Italian Ministry of Culture as an asset of exceptional artistic and historical interest.
The title recalls a well-known expression by architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers who, in 1952, summarized with the phrase “dal cucchiaio alla città” the idea of a design approach capable of operating from the scale of everyday objects to the complexity of urban space.

Curated by Beppe Finessi, the exhibition presents all the projects awarded the Compasso d’Oro from 1954 to the present day, following a clear and rigorous chronological order organized by each edition of the award. This approach allows visitors to observe each object within its historical context, highlighting the evolution of Italian design through forms, languages, production types, and cultural transformations. The exhibition unfolds as a continuous and accessible narrative, capable of conveying the complexity of design culture without imposing interpretative hierarchies.

The objects on display are accompanied by a wide range of materials, including drawings, sketches, photographs, models, prototypes, patents, advertisements, magazines, and archival documents, which expand their interpretation and reconstruct their context. Each section is conceived as a dense network of connections, a sort of contemporary “camera delle meraviglie” that brings to light not only well-known objects but also materials essential for understanding the history of design.

Alongside this narrative, the exhibition features in-depth focuses on selected projects, entrusted over time to different curators. These sections introduce new perspectives on the Collezione Storica and contribute to making the museum an open, plural, and constantly evolving institution.
Il cucchiaio e la città thus stands not only as a permanent exhibition, but also as a dynamic platform for research, interpretation, and the promotion of Italian design.