On the occasion of the 2025 Italian Design Day, the exhibition “Buone Nuove – Femmes architectes du changement” was inaugurated at the Centre de Design of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) with a pre-opening event organised by the Consulate General of Italy in Montreal and the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal. The event was attended by the Italian Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, the Consul General of Italy in Montreal, Enrico Pavone, UQAM Rector Stephane Pallage, the exhibition curators, and a large audience of designers, architects, entrepreneurs, and members of the consular corps.
In his opening remarks, the Italian Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, highlighted how the exhibition offers an important reflection on the extraordinary contribution of women to post-war Italian architecture, showcasing highly esteemed figures such as Cini Boeri, Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Gae Aulenti, Franca Helg, and Nanda Vigo. With their modern and innovative visions, these female architects opened the field to new perspectives.
Ambassador Cattaneo also underlined the close collaboration between Italy and Canada in this sector, as evidenced by iconic architectural works in Canada designed by Italian architects, including the Montreal Stock Exchange Tower by Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi and the new Ontario Court of Justice building by Renzo Piano.
The exhibition, the result of a collaboration between the MAXXI Museum in Rome, UQAM’s Centre de Design, and the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal, aims to document how the contribution of women in recent decades has brought new strength to contemporary architecture. The exhibition will be open to visitors until 6 April and includes a section specifically dedicated to the contributions of Quebec female architects.
