For the fourth consecutive year, the Generali Historical Archive is taking part in Archivissima – Il Festival e la Notte degli Archivi, Italy’s premier event dedicated to promoting the cultural value of archives. On Friday, June 6, 2025, Palazzo Berlam will open its doors for a special evening event.

This year’s theme, #dallapartedelfuturo (on the future’s side, i.e. the possible futures preserved in every archive), invites us to explore not only the futures yet to be built, but also those imagined in the past. How have we envisioned the future over time? How have those visions shaped our present? And how do we imagine the future today, as we build the archive of tomorrow?

Archives are treasure troves of ideas about the future—crafted by those who came before us. They hold prophetic visions, sparks of innovation, misjudged perspectives, and utopias. Sometimes events unfolded as expected; other times, they took unexpected turns. Within these collections, we find unrealized dreams and alternate paths history might have taken.

On June 6, from 6:30 PM to 7:45 PM, a talk will be held in the auditorium of Palazzo Berlam, focusing on the iconic Generali buildings along Trieste’s seafront: Palazzi Carciotti, Geiringer, and Berlam.

All three buildings were conceived with a clear vision of change—each representing a distinct cultural and architectural innovation, and a drive toward new worlds. Palazzo Carciotti looked to a dynamic, open mercantile society; Palazzo Geiringer embraced the style of contemporary Italian palaces and the advent of electric lighting; and Palazzo Berlam drew inspiration from skyscrapers and American urban life. Today, we perceive them as historical landmarks, yet they were once bold statements of modernity.

This historical perspective will be explored by three professors from the University of Trieste: Diana Barillari (History of Architecture), Loredana Panariti (Economic History), and Eleonora Masiero (Business Economics). The discussion will be moderated by the Generali Historical Archive and enriched by valuable materials from the Company’s archive and other institutions in Trieste.

The evening will open with remarks by Luca Caburlotto, Archival Superintendent for Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Emma Ursich, Generali Group Head of Corporate Identity.

This is not about “the future of archives,” but rather “the future as told through archives.” Or, as Paolo Morelli wrote in Corriere della Sera: “More than a ‘what it will be,’ it’s a ‘what we thought it would be.’”

To book: Registration only by signing up using this link.
Time: 18:30
Duration of the visit: 1,15 h
Meeting place: palazzo Berlam -piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, 1