Palazzo Missori, Rationalist building in Milan, Italy

Palazzo Missori is a building in Milan with geometric forms and clean lines that put functionality first. The structure follows the principles of Italian Rationalist architecture from the 1930s, featuring rendered facades and ordered window arrangements.

The building was created in the 1930s under architect Marcello Piacentini's direction, a period when Rationalism became Italy's favored architectural approach. This shift happened during significant political changes in the country.

The building stands on the triangular block between Piazza Giuseppe Missori, Via Giuseppe Mazzini and Via Maurizio Gonzaga, where the Reale cinema once stood before its demolition. Its ground level is a double-height portico on two of the three fronts, with shops and mezzanines behind glass; along Via Mazzini the shop windows instead line the street.

Palazzo Missori faces Piazza Giuseppe Missori and is bounded by Via Giuseppe Mazzini and Via Maurizio Gonzaga, with its entrance at Via Maurizio Gonzaga 4. The triangular block sits in central Milan, a short walk from the Missori metro stop. The double-height portico runs along two of the three fronts, giving shelter to pedestrians.

The triangular lot forced an asymmetric plan: the double-height portico runs along only two of the three fronts, while on Via Mazzini the shop windows sit flush with the street. The building replaced the old cinema Reale, demolished at the start of works in 1933.