on 08/04/2018Since 2006 Old Fashion Restaurant & Dancing is awarded by City Hall of Milano and Lombardy Region as Historical place
The Palace of Milan was founded by a grant to Milan by Sen. Bernocchi who, in 1931 commissioned to Arch. Giovanni Muzio to build a Factory at the entrance of Parco Sempione in Milano.
1933
Old Fashion is part of the history of Milano : Muzio, one of the most prolific architects of Italian Modernism , designs and builds the Palace in just two years, aided by the counseling and creativity of Sironi that draws the Triportico overlooking the park and then completely frescoing the central hall of the palace
Palace is ready to host the Milan Triennial Exhibition, responsible to promoting in Italy and in the world the Italian Design.
His first event had taken place in Monza in the late20’s, but it is in the Palace that it finds its permanent home until today.
The Palace of Muzio is thus divided into three sectors: offices, exhibition grounds, the Loisir ,in which there are both the restaurant with the concert hall that other spaces for the public.
On the terrace is created the dance floor and is given in the management to F.lliBeretta Firm, along with the restaurant.
So In 1933 in the new Palazzo dell’ Arte was inaugurated the second Triennale of Milano.
40’s
The following years to the inauguration are unfortunately those of the second world war.
In 1943, during the german occupation of Italy , the restaurant of the building is used as a social club for senior German officers and the terrace finally closed ( they replacing a battery of anti-aircraft! ).
The dance club acquires the Teutonic name of “Ballhaus” ( dance room in German ) and until the end of the conflict is foreclosed to people of Milan who are not supporters of the occupation troops.
In 1947 the building returns to life and so is the restaurant that returns to its original name and is divided into two rooms by a huge central fireplace picking up within itself the restaurant and the ballroom with two separate dance floor.
From that moment on,that is the dominant structure of what is now known as Old Fashion .
1947 is an important date because it marks the re-opening of the Triennale and the process of normalization of Italian society.
50’s
Even before the “mythical” Piper, Old Fashion was famous in Milan under a different name: “El Trianon” and was the landmark of the rock ‘n ‘ roll generation.
In those years, the space was managed by the CRTI, the company of radio broadcasts that had in the halls of the theater ( builtin those years ) the first experimental studios of RAI , Italian Broadcast television.
It will be in those adjacent rooms to today ‘s Old Fashion that will be radiated the first broadcasts of “Lascia o raddoppia ” by Mike Bongiorno ( one of the first known entertainers of Italian television ).
60’s
The legendary 60’s are not only in our memory for large civil upheavals that the Hippy culture and student movements have done, but also how our perception of music has evolved with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix.
In this time of great changes the ballroom of the Palace becomes the Piper in Milan and artists like Patty Pravo, Lucio Dalla and other big names of Italian music inflame the nights of the city.
But is on May 23, 1968 that the place rises to the honor of music legend with the concert of Jimi Hendrix.
Over 2000 people were present at his performance as a frenzy crowd trying to enter the premises.
Jimi Hendrix concert is still a vivid memory for a lot of people and you can find various pictures af that night at Piper/Old Fashion on the net.
After this interlude Piper becomes Wanted Saloon where the furniture should remember an old Western Saloon.
These are the years of the worldwide success of the spaghetti western movies.
Unfortunately, the management has failed and Saloon closes in less than one year due of a violent shootout between customers.
Never name was most unlikely for a club !
70’s
In 1970 the Night Club with various art performances is renovated and called Old Fashion. The name comes from a famous Long drink made of whiskey and soda in vogue in those years that was served at the bottom tambler ( also called Old Fashioned Glass).
It’s a Night Club with ups and downs that come until 1988 . From that date until 1992, he will continue his life with a “hiccup” program. A fixed evening: Wednesday evening (called Blanco y Negro) that has a university audience.
90’s
Old Fashion was re-founded in 1995 like the first Club in Italy to propose a leading restaurant as well as two rooms for dancing and Night Club with various art performances .On the occasion of the venue reopening , Marcello Mastroianni presided with a direct live show on very popular television program “Nonsolomoda” presenting the temporary exhibition (made by Old Fashion in his spaces) of his uncle Umberto Mastroianni‘s sculptural works – unanimously recognized as the greatest sculptor of the twentieth century.
Created by Architect Daniele Beretta, Old Fashion deviates from all the others Night clubs for the artistic vein that accompanies its debut.
Art -Works by masters as Cassinari, Musella, Mastroianni, make a fine display in the halls and between the arches of the garden.
In 2001 under goes a make over by Designer Samuele Mazza which introduces Mediterranean and Arabian elements, while in 2003 designed directly by the Cominardi Bros. assumes a characterization neoBaroque.
In 2004, then is the displacement of the Garden from the old to the new destination. The shift also produces an expansion of the surface from 870 to 1300 s.m. and a total renovation of the areas.
The design of the new garden is entrusted to Arch Luca Bernasconi which is leading into the wood iron Curtain elements and a central patio used as a dance floor and Night Club with various art performances
In 2006, Arch.Fabio Rotella repaint the interior of the halls by eliminating the appearance NeoBaroque to resurface the old look of the premises Futurist origins introducing also elements of the present modern minimalism.
Historical venue
In the same year the Night Club with various art numbers is recognized by the City of Milan and the Lombardy Region as”Historical place” .Unique in its local business sector to be included in this Historical book.
Over the last few years the Night Club with various art performances ,has often been at the center of the most prestigious social events in the city and frequented by numerous figures from the world of cinema, television, sport and entertainment in general like Mike Bongiorno , George Clooney, Withney Houston, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Ronaldo, Naomi Campbell, Leonardo Di Caprio , Jean-Claude Van Damme , Lucio Dalla, Jamie Foxx , Marilyn Manson , Natalia Estrada ( just to name a few )
In 2015 subscribed the “ Pact for Expo ” with the City Hall of Milano and is recognized as “ Expo Friends” by the Chamber of Commerce.The last night :
on December 19th. 2019 the Triennale Foundation announces that it does not intend to renew the rental contract. The contract expires in June 2022, but an agreement between the parties postpones the closing to January 31, 2024.
The last night of Old Fashion ( after 91 years ) was held on January 20, 2024 with thousands of people in attendance for a memorable closing party that attracted national and local media.