The New Law and Humanities Library
The project
In July 2023, renovation work began on the Biblioteca di Studi Giuridici e Umanistici (BSGU) at Via Festa del Perdono.
The project involves restructuring and the creation of a large, multifunctional library, bringing together all collections that were historically housed in different rooms. The library’s service points will also be reorganised to ensure the academic community can make better use of all bibliographic resources.
Sala Centrale
The first step in this transformation was the refurbishment of Sala Centrale, inaugurated on 11 January 2023. Now serving as a service hub for all library reading rooms, it is a key reference point for the Via Festa del Perdono site. Sala Centrale is the designated study space for students, offering the full collection of law course textbooks, a selection of humanities and geography course books, and 288 study places also available in the evenings and on Saturdays.
La Sala Centrale oggi
Sala del Settecento
On 4 November 2024, the new Sala del Settecento was inaugurated, expanding study spaces by incorporating the former Manhattan computer room. This space is intended to house the modern bibliographic collections of the Law and Humanities Library in a single location for improved management.
The assembly of the compact shelving units in the Reading Room A
Reading Room B
Reading Room A
Nuova Crociera
The final phase of the project commenced in July 2023 with the construction of a new space encompassing the current Sala Crociera, Sala Sottocrociera, Sala Common Law e Diritto internazionale e Sala Pozzo. It will feature a single entrance, mirroring the original access to the 15th-century Ca’ Granda, overlooking the portico of Largo Richini. The entire law collection, currently dispersed across multiple rooms, will be consolidated in an open-shelf arrangement in the basement, providing a comprehensive overview of the various branches of law. Books and journals will be organised by discipline and related fields of interest, facilitating streamlined and efficient research for students and academics.
On the ground floor, following a thorough analysis of research methods and material usage, the library’s most important and frequently accessed humanities collections will be made directly available to users, with a significant portion eligible for loan.
The redesigned spaces will cater to the diverse needs of the academic community, incorporating areas for individual study, informal learning and social interaction, as well as dedicated spaces for researchers. The new library will also significantly increase its seating capacity, offering more than 1,100 study places.
The Grande Crociera reading room will serve as the primary space for research and in-depth study.
Sala Senato
Sala Senato will house the library’s collection of rare and antique books, ensuring their proper preservation and enhancing the value of this prestigious heritage.
Additionally, the library’s storage facilities will be renovated and reorganised to optimise the conservation and management of materials.
The new library aims to become a central hub for teaching, research, and public engagement, situated in one of Milan’s most historically and artistically significant locations.
The construction work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, followed by the library’s fit-out phase throughout 2026.
