The history of the Forum Bressanone

Do you know the story of the phoenix arising from the ashes?

This is how the Forum Bressanone presented itself in the year 2001, when the city administration gave the renovated and upgraded former “GIL” building to the citizens on the occasion of the 1100th anniversary of Bressanone.

Architecture
The history of the house in direct proximity to the old town dates back to the year 1933. The architects Francesco Mansutti and Gino Miozzo from Padova had designed it as a “Casa Balilla”, a gym for the Fascist youth organisation/Gioventù Italiana del Littorio. Constructed according to the rationalism style, the GIL-building represented the first counterpart to the medieval core of Bressanone. In harmony with the buildings in near Via S. Croce, an interesting, closed quarter has been created.

Conversion
As an unloved testimonial to an unpleasant period of history, the former GIL area ran down over the years until the municipal authorities of Bressanone started their search for an adequate area for a cultural and congress centre with many functions. They discovered the “forgotten” building in 1993 and authorized the bureau of architects "Arch" (Colombi, De Dominicis, Dalsass), today Tauut (Colombi, Pichler), to complete the heritage-protected, existing basic structure with elements of contemporary architecture, such as glass, wood and concrete. They aimed at creating the groundwork for a modern cultural centre and congress house.

Management
Until 2012, Forum Bressanone was run by an independent corporation, despite being owned by the municipality of Bressanone. In March 2012, the Forum Bressanone and the Aquarena municipal swimming pool were incorporated into the Stadtwerke Brixen AG, an in-house company of municipality of Bressanone. Since then, the Stadtwerke Brixen AG has been responsible not only for the technical and environmental services, but also for the Culture and Congress Centre Forum Bressanone and the indoor and outdoor pool Aquarena.

Focus with regard to content
The multifunctional space concept has proven itself. On about 300 days per year, the Forum Bressanone hosts events of all kinds: theatres and musicals, concerts, balls and dancing shows, congresses, seminars, meetings, symposia, conventions and workshops.