The road, for those of us who live cycling, is more evocative than ever: via del Ghisallo. It is one of the most frequented and loved places by cyclists, one of the fixed points of a Monument classic like the Lombardy. Up there is the little Madonna who protects cyclists and in that tiny Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ghisallo, which thanks to don Ermenegildo Viganò and the papal dispensation of Pope Pius XII became the protector of cyclists since 1949. Up there, where people still remember the exploits of Coppi and Bartali, Magni and Gimondi, Merckx and Pantani up to Bettini, Nibali and Pogacar, the Bicycle Museum was also born, wanted by Fiorenzo Magni, the "third man", who in truth never felt subordinate to anyone.

In short, via del Ghisallo means a lot and means a lot also for Garmin Italia of Stefano Viganò, which is a condensation of history and a laboratory for innovation. A company always capable of combining tradition with research and today, here in this street in Milan, a stone's throw from the highways to Turin, the Lakes and Venice, and a few hundred meters from Monte Stella, rises the new headquarters of this technological jewel that not only talks about zero-impact sustainability, but does it, like few other Italian and perhaps even European excellences.

Garmin Italia moved a few weeks ago to this bright and LEED & WELL certified building designed by Consalez Rossi Architetti Associati (Garmin deployed architect Marco Poli, ed.) to provide virtuous spaces dedicated to corporate life. "All this continues in the wake of a mission that our parent company has always had - explains Stefano Viganò, 60 years old, CEO of Garmin Italia for thirteen years (2011), although he entered the company as marketing manager in January 2007 -. Garmin has always been convinced that if you take care of people, they will take care of the company and this new headquarters has precisely this as an ideal thought, as a founding point: to make our employees feel good".

A leap into a hyper-technological structure of 3,000 square meters, compared to the previous 2,000. "We have set up a company in future mode, looking at today, but above all at what Garmin Italia will be called to do from next year, from the coming years - continues Viganò -. Just twelve years ago we were 40, today we are 77 and from the new year we will immediately insert seven more figures that will enrich our already more than solid team. Garmin wants to become a reference and example of a virtuous activity, not only for the products it offers on the market, but for how it promotes them, how it promotes itself, what it does. For this reason, our new headquarters will be an open reality: away with the veil, it's no coincidence that here there is little concrete and lots of glass. Here we will do our events and conventions, starting with the Beat Yesterday Awards, as well as update courses or the Christmas party. It must clearly become a point of aggregation and to do this it is necessary to have a beautiful company that first of all allows all of us to operate in an increasingly comfortable environment. We have always proposed dreams and well-being, but we must first feel good, in an environment that perfectly represents us, since it is designed for the well-being of the community. I am not against smart working, that remains an option, an opportunity, but I am also convinced that our homes must preserve the charm of the nest and the company must be a laboratory of thought and meeting, made of projectuality".

Thanks to innovative architectural solutions, the new Garmin office has obtained the environmental certifications LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), focused on the environment and energy, and WELL (Well building standard), focused on the well-being of building occupants. "These are two distinct certifications that work in perfect harmony with each other - explains Viganò - and which have allowed the design of a high-performance building in terms of energy and environmental aspects. We did not want just a larger and more spacious company, but what we wanted was an innovative structure, capable of hosting spaces that Garmin employees will be enthusiastic about living and sharing".

It is no coincidence that in the new building, Garmin employees will be able to dedicate themselves to physical well-being in a gym equipped by Technogym, open and with staff 24 hours a day and accessible even on weekends. "An essential element for a sports-dedicated company like Garmin, which has made its sporting DNA a true flagship and a distinctive element", adds Viganò, who adds: "I have always thought that a company must not close in on itself, but must be part of society. If you want your brand to be something solid, you must build content around it, something concrete, with that desire to live the walls and the company. For your customers, it must become a point of reference. Companies must no longer hide or mask themselves and show themselves to the world only with their products, but must get involved. I repeat: away with the veil, here it's all glass. For us, sustainability is not just a nice way of presenting oneself (in 2023, about 5,000 tons of materials were recycled), but above all a nice way of doing".