A test track in the sky: the story of Fiat’s Lingotto factory
How an automobile factory building became a beloved icon of the 20th Century
Automobile factories are often impressive, be it for their sheer size or the complex manufacturing processes happening inside them.
But few become true architectural landmarks, and possibly none is more iconic than Fiat’s Lingotto in Turin, whose defining feature is a rooftop test track that’s been sparking people’s imagination for decades.
The Lingotto owes its name to the small group of farmhouses that existed on the plot of land purchased by Fiat in what then were the outskirts of Turin.
Room to grow
The decision to build a large new factory complex was taken in 1915 to give Fiat much-needed breathing room: its headcount had risen from 120 employees in 1900 to over 9400, way more than its original facilities could handle with any degree of efficiency.
Designed by the engineer Giacomo Matté Trucco, the Lingotto was deliberately inspired by Ford’s Highland Park plant, and Fiat’s not-so-secret aim to streamline…
