Palazzo Boccella has been officially opened

Palazzo Boccella, a historic building on Via della Fratta dating back to the 16th century, in the historic centre of Lucca, has officially become part of the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca Campus.

The opening ceremony took place this morning in the presence of Lorenzo Casini, Rector of the IMT School, Mario Pardini, Mayor of Lucca, and Marcello Pierucci, President of the Province of Lucca. Maria Pia Mencacci, Vice-President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca, delivered a welcome address on behalf of the foundation.

Palazzo Boccella, the former home of the Lu.C.C.A. Museum of Modern Art (Lucca Centre of Contemporary Art), joins the other buildings that make up the IMT School’s Campus: the San Francesco complex, the halls of residence on Via Brunero Paoli and the San Ponziano complex, which houses the church where the library is located, all just a few minutes’ walk from one another in the eastern part of the city.

Last May, the IMT School was granted a concession by Lucca City Council for the garden in Via Santa Chiara: the historic convent gardens situated between Via della Quarquonia and Via Brunero Paoli. This space will continue to be used by local residents, associations and organisations, and is set to undergo a regeneration project led by the IMT School, which will be responsible for its upkeep and enhancement.

The renovations carried out at Palazzo Boccella, coordinated by the architect Stefano Dini, involved the conservation and restoration of the building, the upgrading of its building services, energy efficiency improvements and the purchase of new furnishings.

“With Palazzo Boccella, the IMT School – said Rector Lorenzo Casini – is taking a new step forward in its journey of growth. We are not merely inaugurating a restored building, but a place where knowledge, research and innovation will be generated. It is a project that combines the enhancement of our historical heritage with the creation of the future, and which strengthens the bond between the School and the city of Lucca. Our Campus,” continued Casini, “which came into being thanks to the support and vision of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca, continues to grow within the city, engaging with its history and contributing to its cultural development. I would like to thank the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Spaces and IT Services Committee, Marco Paggi; the Director-General, Giulio Bolzonetti, whose third three-year term at IMT began just yesterday; the technical and administrative staff; and all the professionals, technicians and workers who have made this achievement possible. I would also like to thank the Ministry of Universities and Research, whose funding has made a significant contribution to the restoration work. From today, Palazzo Boccella is a new home for the IMT community and a heritage site restored to the whole city of Lucca”.

“The opening of Palazzo Boccella as a further venue for the IMT School in Lucca,” said Massimo Marsili, President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca, “is a sign of the constant and progressive development of the School’s relationship with the city. Furthermore, the investment, made entirely from the School’s own resources, demonstrates the prudent and careful management that the School has maintained and developed over time, including the resources that the city’s institutions helped to establish. This has been a long and steady journey which, from 2004 to the present day, has achieved significant milestones. The recent ministerial assessment serves as proof of this. Property development, dialogue with the city and the promotion of an original educational model: the restoration of Palazzo Boccella to operational use clearly expresses all of this”.

“The inclusion of Palazzo Boccella in the IMT School campus,” said the President of the Province, Marcello Pierucci, “represents a further investment in Lucca’s capacity to be a city of knowledge. The restoration of a historic building for use in research and education is a concrete example of how heritage conservation can go hand in hand with local development. The growth of the IMT School is an important asset not only for the city, but for the entire province.”

“We are delighted that an institution of such excellence as the IMT School continues to grow, putting down ever deeper roots in our city thanks to the acquisition of Palazzo Boccella – commented Mayor Mario Pardini. – The official incorporation of this historic building, situated in the heart of Lucca, into the campus of the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, is further confirmation of the strong bond and integration between our city and this important institution”.

Palazzo Boccella, purchased in 2023 for two million three hundred thousand euros, will house new spaces for teaching staff and researchers, two rooms for seminars or other research or institutional activities, and a reception room – featuring frescoes restored under the Superintendency’s authorisation – where the School will be able to receive guests and delegations. In the entrance hall and along the staircase are posters created by the IMT School in collaboration with Treccani, as well as a number of photographs of the IMT School taken by the Lucca-based photographer Dantès (Dante Luci) for the photo essay ‘Gulliver, the search for the perfect world’.

The basement, where part of Lucca’s medieval walls and some frescoes are still visible, will instead be used as communal areas.