Designed by an engineer, Fiat's Lingotto factory was the largest in Europe at the time, unusual in that it had 5 floors, the raw materials being brought in on ground level, pulling together as a new Fiat automobile as it rose through the levels, tested on the racetrack on the roof as seen in the "Italian Job". It was influencial, progressive and avant garde, Corbusier describing it as "one of the most important sights in the industry" and "a guideline for town planning". Fiat closed the factory in 1982, Renzo Piano"s design chosen for renovation, carefully restoring the stucco, converting the complex into concert halls, thaeatre, convention centre, shopping arcades and a prestigious hotel, with a tropical garden in the courtyard.

Written by  George Monkhouse.

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