Armenian-Lebanese interior designer Chahan Minassian has presented his third reinterpretation of the space known as Palazzina Fortuny in Venice. The historic 1950s building is located next to the closed Fortuny textile factory and is considered one of the city’s most enigmatic architectural sites.

The new curatorial concept, expressed in Minassian’s signature brutalist aesthetic, will be presented as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2026, which opens on May 9.

Since 2024, the former Countess Gozzi residence has been collaborating with the Paris-based Chahan Gallery, becoming its exclusive Venetian venue. This marks the first time the historic house has been fully opened to the international design community through Minassian’s curated installations.

In his new exhibition, the designer combines rare vintage pieces with contemporary works from his own brand, including glass, bronze, and furniture objects. Participating artists include Arne Quinze and Joana Vasconcelos, whose works enter into dialogue with his brutalist aesthetic.

The interior also features the new Fortuny textile collection “Polpo” (“octopus” in Italian), as well as pieces from the Canal Grande series — furniture and Murano glass inspired by the natural environment of the Venetian lagoon.

These elements are placed alongside vintage furniture by designers such as Paul Evans and Vladimir Kagan, whose works became symbols of mid-20th-century American modernism.

Minassian describes the renovated space as his “embassy,” where different rooms are staged as independent artistic scenes, featuring works by Patricia Vasconcelos, Arne Quinze, as well as the gallery Sorry We’re Closed and the French workshop Phelippeau Tapissier.

Historically, the Fortuny brand was founded in 1921 by artist and inventor Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo and became famous for its innovative textiles and iconic dresses, including the Delphos gown worn by figures such as Isadora Duncan. Today, the brand’s legacy is continued by Mickey and Mory Riad, who have led the company since its acquisition by their father in 1998.

A key figure in the brand’s history was Countess Gozzi, an American interior designer whom Fortuny himself appointed as his representative in the United States. She died in 1994, leaving behind one of the most mysterious legacies in the world of European design.

Minassian, who has been based in Venice for around eight years, is actively shaping the city’s emerging cultural scene, blending historical heritage with international contemporary art.

According to him, working in Venice has become a “constantly expanding international platform” that continues to strengthen the city’s status as a center of contemporary design and art.