There was a time when Enzo Ferrari’s last name didn’t conjure up visions of the ultimate sleek-and-sexy sports car. The man came of age at the turn of the last century just as autos started to rev their engines, and competed as a driver and racing team manager for Alfa Romeo before starting his own manufacturing company and forever shaping the industry he adored. Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari , a new museum in his hometown of Modena, Italy, pays tribute to Ferrari’s fame with two complementary structures that nod to his humble past and impressive legacy.

London-based architectural firm Future Systems won an international competition to design the new building in 2004 with a curvaceous, swooping structure consistent with the studio’s signature style. After principal Jan Kaplický’s passing in 2009, the commission went to Future Systems alum Amanda Morgante and Shiro Studio, who completed the project according to Kaplický’s original plans. The striking “Modena yellow” aluminum roof sweeps across the red brick dotted skyline like a hood, or “bonnet,” complete with incisions that evoke auto air intake vents. Here, those allow natural light into the 56,000-square-foot museum, which showcases classic models in an expansive, crisp-white setting. Just adjacent is a complete refurbishment of Ferrari’s early home and workshop, built by his father in the 1830s, where visitors can learn about the man behind the brand.