My professional life has been a long journey of learning.
While studying the history of ideas and political thought with Carlo Pincin at the University of Milan, I was also apprenticing in the family business alongside master mechanic Piero Pagani.
It was during that time that Licisco Magagnato, then director of the Museo di Castelvecchio, entrusted me with the design of glass furnishings for his office, located within the museum where Carlo Scarpa had once worked. That project proved foundational—it opened my eyes to the fact that exhibition design could be far more than a technical matter: it could be a way of thinking, of giving meaning back to the artworks, their context, and their relationship with the viewer.
It took me seven years to fully grasp the essence of the so-called Venetian School of architecture, and to understand that my true interest lay in the world of museum installations. That was where my intellectual pursuits and technical craftsmanship—two lifelong passions—finally came together.
Meeting Tobia Scarpa was a key milestone in that journey. Through him, I gained a sense of design discipline, a new sensitivity to materials, and a deep appreciation for the importance of detail—a cultural foundation that would guide and shape my entire career.
My entry into the museum world dates back to the late 1980s, with my first major commission at the Museo del Bargello. From there began long-term collaborations with the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, where I acquired the fundamentals of preventive conservation.
The work of Gaël de Guichen at ICCROM became a reference point in the design of technical display cases, while meeting Giovanni Pinna made me aware of the museological challenges those cases are meant to address.
His studies were essential in helping me fully understand the deeper meaning behind the projects I undertook—and, ultimately, of my work itself.
Since taking over the leadership of Goppion from my father in the early 1990s, I have helped transform the company into an international enterprise, deeply rooted in design culture and recognized around the world by the museum community.
Among the most significant moments in this journey, I remember with pride the design and engineering of the display cases for the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London (1994), designed by Paul Gibson, where I learned the art of project management from the great Ken Percy.
This was followed by our participation in the British Galleries at the Victoria & Albert Museum (2001), a project that marked Goppion’s transition from an Italian company to an international partner for the world’s leading cultural institutions.
Other milestone projects include the display cases for the Dead Sea Scrolls (Israel, 2004), for the Mona Lisa at the Louvre (2005), and more recently, the project that perhaps thrilled me most: the David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery at the Library of Congress in Washington (2023).
I have also had the opportunity to collaborate with the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, under the direction of Salvatore Settis, contributing to the education of cultural heritage students alongside Benedetto Benedetti.
Over the years, I have been honored with the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro by the President of the Italian Republic (2019), and in 2023 I had the privilege of being welcomed—following in the footsteps of Giovanni Mardersteig—as a member of the Grolier Club in New York.
Today, I can say that Goppion is a thoughtful and conscientious organization, made up of people from different generations working together with passion and a strong sense of responsibility—united by the belief that preserving and sharing cultural heritage is a noble form of civic commitment.
Together, we have tackled complex challenges, always striving to find solutions that are not only technically effective but also respectful of the symbolic and material value of the objects. Some of these solutions, the result of continuous research and innovation, are now protected by international patents.
Among the many international recognitions we’ve received over the years, the recent German Design Award 2022 and the iF Design Award 2025 have been a particular source of pride for us—testaments of appreciation that encourage us to continue with the same spirit.
Along this journey, I have had by my side—steadfast and unwavering—Patrizia Venturini, who for over thirty years has overseen the legal and institutional foundations of the company. Today, my son Bruno, now serving as Commercial Director, is ready to carry the torch with both responsibility and a spirit of innovation. Watching the company grow with them, day after day, is perhaps the most quietly meaningful part of this entire adventure.