Ivrea and Adriano Olivetti: the factory that wanted to make people happy

There is a quote by Adriano Olivetti that I often think about. He asked himself whether a company could have a purpose beyond profit — and spent his life showing that the answer was yes.

A factory made of glass

Walking along Corso Jervis in Ivrea, the first thing you notice is the light. The Olivetti workshops have huge glass façades: workers could see the hills and the sky while they worked. It was a radical idea at the time — and a statement: work should not take people away from beauty.

Around the factories, Olivetti built nurseries, canteens, libraries, health services and homes for employees, calling on the best architects and designers of the day. Culture was not an extra: poets, sociologists and artists worked side by side with engineers.

From typewriters to computers

Olivetti’s products — from the Lettera 22 typewriter to the Programma 101, often considered one of the first personal computers — combined technology and design in a way that still inspires. Their posters and showrooms were works of art in themselves.

Why UNESCO

In 2018 Ivrea was inscribed on the World Heritage List as the industrial city of the 20th century: an exceptional example of how industry, architecture and social vision can shape a whole community.

Why it matters today

When we talk about corporate social responsibility, welfare and sustainability, we are often repeating ideas that were tested in Ivrea decades ago. That’s why I love bringing companies and managers here: it is a place that makes you think about what kind of business you want to build.

If you’d like to walk these streets with me, have a look at the Olivetti guided tour.