INTRODUCTION

Colletti Bottega Organaria has been restoring and manufacturing pipe organs in 1952. Giuliano, today’s owner and soul of the company, learned the trade from his father Michele, the founder of the company, who started the business in the 1950s by learning the trade from a German officer during the 2nd World War.

Since childhood, Giuliano was passionate about the organ and its sound world, dedicating his free time to learning the secrets of the trade. After graduating, in 1994 he trained in the Organ Culture and Art at Crema Professional Training Centre, in Lombardy. Today he is a member of the National Register of   Cultural Heritage Professionals.

His workshop carries out 4 are main activities:

• Historical research precede restoration so whatever the instrument full respect is paid to save all the recoverable material and the reconstructions of the missing pieces takes place with materials and processing techniques in the same way as when they were built.
• Restoration has a privileged place in the process. Organs from various eras are restored, tank to the collaboration with the Heritage board.
• The construction of the new musical organs is carried out by seeking the best balance between craftmanship, aesthetic and functional modernity. Particular attention is paid to the elegance of all the details that must be simple in use and understanding, because we must not forget that the organ is used not only at mass, but also for concerts.
• The ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of all types of musical organs is the most important and vital activity to ensure functionality and durability over time.

SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental sustainability comes indirectly from being set in the coutryside and directly from the banning of chemicals and solvents in favour of natural resin.

The workshop consists of a 500 sqm,  7 metre high room, divided into two parts (carpentry area and assembly area), which allows to complete assembling and verification of the organ before 

transportation and final on-site assembling.

State-of-the-art machinery is used both for the construction of wooden parts and for other materials.

In addition, in 2014 the company has installed a solar panel system which meets the energy needs while zeroing the footprint.

Social and economic sustainability is secured by employing collaborators/trainees and by serving customers in every Italian region plus Germany and France.

TRADITION AND INNOVATION

Being it a 70-year old business, of course tradition is in the air all the time, and whatever skill was acquired in the past is highly valued in the present. The real element of technological innovation that the second generation has brought into the workshop is the ability to deal with electronic organs and traditional remote instruments, which demand a whole new set of electronic skills on top with the traditional ones of metal and woodwork.

VALUES AND DISCIPLINARIES

Giuliano’s workshop does not abide by any specific disciplinary other than the set of restoration rules and legislation governing the craft released and periodically reviewed by the regional and national cultural heritage boards.

SCALABILITY AND RESILIENCE

No upscaling is envioned to date.

As for the ability to navigate crisis, Giuliano believes that while there is a lot of luck entailed, the trick is to rely on hand made crafts because rarity pays off. Humbleness to is a resource, and one should accept to take on an apprenticeship in order to understand and believe in the importance of one’s own project.