Palazzo del Lavoro in Turin was built for the Italia ’61 International Exhibition, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of Italian unification in 1961. Designed by renowned Italian engineer and architect Pier Luigi Nervi, the building is considered a masterpiece of modern architecture. Its vast exhibition hall was supported by sixteen distinctive concrete columns topped with umbrella-shaped roof structures, creating a huge open space with very few internal supports.

After the exhibition, the Palazzo del Lavoro continued to host trade fairs, conferences, offices, and educational activities. However, its use gradually declined during the 1990s, and by around 2007 the last permanent occupants had left, leaving the complex largely abandoned.

Several redevelopment projects, including plans for a large shopping center, were proposed but never completed. In 2015, multiple fires caused further damage to the structure. Despite its deterioration, the Palazzo del Lavoro remains one of Italy’s most important post-war architectural landmarks and a remarkable example of Nervi’s innovative engineering techniques.