“Italian Architecture Now – Balancing Tradition, Modernity and Context” is the educational tour we conceived for students of architecture and design.
This study trip we run from 21 to 31 May 2018 has been specifically designed to give students of architecture and design an opportunity to experience and learn about how new Italian Architecture is integrated in the historical and traditional context.
The focus of the educational tour was visiting and experiencing key buildings of Italian Architecture – both historical and modern – to give students the opportunity to gain insight into how Italian architectural style has evolved from the past to the present while maintaining overall cohesiveness and continuity
The course had two main elements: the first, visits to selected examples of Italian architecture in the area around Milan, Venice and Treviso. The aim of this visits was to help expand students' knowledge of formal and underlying aspects of Italian architecture that leads to modern structures that blend in or resonate with the surrounding structures which includes review of old buildings that have been refurbished for modern usage. During these 10 days we have visited Fabrica and Canova Museum in Treviso, Punta della Dogana Museum in Venice by Tadao Ando, Brion Tomb in Altivole, Olivetti showroom and Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice by Carlo Scarpa, Fondazione Prada in Milan and Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice by OMA.
Two days have been spent visiting Freespace at the Architecture Biennale in Venice.
In Milan we had a architecture tour of the iconic buildings of the XX century. The Milanese solution to be traditionally modern: the Novecento style, with architecs like Gio Ponti, Muzio, Portaluppi and their unique sense of Italian style: from Pirelli Building (Pirellone) to Cà Brutta, form Palazzo Montecatini to Castello Sforzesco and the restoration of the 50's by BBPR, the new installation of Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo, in the new wing restored by Michele de Lucchi. Among the temples of contemporary life: Fondazione Feltrinelli by Herzog & DeMeuron.
The second element was an opportunity to understand the basic theoretical principles of architecture followed by some of the leading architecture studios in Milan.
The architecture studios that hosted us for a lecture had been: One Works, Tectoo, aMDL Michele De Lucchi Studio and Iosa Ghini Associati
Each studio arranged interactions around one of their projects: at One Works, the managing partner Leonardo Cavalli presented the design and development process of project City Life Square.
At Studio De Lucchi students interacted on the design and development process of the refurbishment of Pietà Rondanini room at Palazzo Sforzesco and other main projects with the architect and art director Giovanna Latis while arch. Barbara Delucca manager at Iosa Ghini Associati Milano presented their People-Mover Project in Bologna. Andrea Peschiera founding partner of Tectoo, a newly born architectural design firm and former partner of Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), presented the refurbishment and conversion of the ancient Angst Hotel in Bordighera into a residential building.
DAY 1 | Meeting with the students at Brera Design Apartment and Visit to Ca Granda – Statale University by Filarete and refurbishment by Liliana Grassi
Ca' Granda was the home of the Ospedale Maggiore in Milan. It is a building located between Via Francesco Sforza, via Laghetto and via Festa del Perdono, near the Basilica of San Nazaro in Brolo. Projected by the Florentine architect Filarete, it was one of the first Renaissance buildings in Milan and had a large following throughout northern Italy. Today it is the seat of the University of Milan.
DAY 2 | 100 years of architecture in Milan: from Gio Ponti To Herzog and De Meuron
Pirelli Tower by Gio Ponti is characterized by a structural skeleton curtain wall façades and tapered sides, it was among the first skyscrapers to abandon the customary block form. After its completion it was the tallest building in Italy. The building inspired the Pan Am Building (now MetLife Building) in New York and the National Mutual West Plaza in Auckland.
Ca' Brutta (Ugly House) by Giovanni Muzio is a residential building in Milan, located in via della Moscova on the corner with Piazza Stati Uniti d'America, symbol of the Milanese environment of the twenties and thirties. It was called this because of the negative impression it aroused at the time, caused by the extravagant use of elements of classical language.
Visiting the interiors of Ca' Brutta
Montecatini Bulding by Gio Ponti. First Montecatini Building, on the corner of Via della Moscova and Via Turati. The intense and stormy collaboration between the architect and the client (Guido Donegani, founder and president of the Montecatini company) raised the sights of both, and the building turned out not only to be efficient but also to have an image that achieved immediate popularity. The Montecatini image is not created by the solemn front set back, on a minor road but by the long sidewall on the main street.
Pietà Rondanini, Michelangelo's final creation, new home in the Pietà Rondanini Museum, which is housed in the so-called Spanish Hospital in Milan's Sforza Castle.
The overall masterplan for Porta Volta holds an important strategic potential for creating a positive impact on the surrounding area, due to its important urban dimension. As part of the redefinition of the area Porta Volta, Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli intends to relocate its seat to the northern centre of Milan, considered as an ideal environment for the foundation's multiple activities. Together with the building of Fondazione, the project includes the development of two further buildings, mainly dedicated to offices, and a generous green area as extensions of the existing boulevards.
DAY 3 | Visit to Fondazione Prada by OMA and journey to Venice
DAY 4 | Visits to Fabrica by Tadao Ando, Brion Tomb by Carlo Scarpa and Canova Museum (enlargement by Carlo Scarpa)
At Fabrica with Angela Quintavalle
Brion Tomb and Sanctuary by Carlo Scarpa
DAY 5 | Visits to Olivetti Showroom and Fondazione Querini Stampalia Venezia by Carlo Scarpa, Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana by Tadao Ando and Fondaco dei Tedeschi by OMA
The Olivetti Showroom in Venice is a small two-story room located in Piazza San Marco, designed by the architect Carlo Scarpa. After losing its original function for years, on April 20, 2011, the Shop was reopened after careful philological restoration, which restored the colors, furnishings and original Olivetti machinery collection. The Assicurazioni Generali, which retains ownership, have entrusted it to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano, which, after taking care of the restoration, takes care of its maintenance and ensures its use to the public.
Fondazione Querini Stampalia garden by Carlo Scarpa
Punta della Dogana by Tadao Ando
The view from the rooftop of Fondaco dei Tedeschi by OMA – Rem Koolhaas
DAY 6 | Visit to Architecture Biennale in Venice – Giardini
arch. Leonardo Cavalli Lecture on Tre Torri Square project at City Life
Tre Torri Square
At Tectoo with Andre Peschiera
Angst Hotel restoration project lecture
Barbara Delucca lecture on People Mover in Bologna
DAY 10 | Final presentation of each students work
I'd like to thank firstly all the students that attended at this Italian Architecture educational tour and all the professionals who made it possible: Angela Quintavalle who introduced us Tadao Ando works at Fabrica, architects Leonardo Cavalli, Maddalena Monti and Claudio Giampietro form One Works, Chiara Castellani and architect Giovanna Latis from aMDL, architects Massimo Iosa Ghini and Barbara Delucca from Iosa Ghini Associati and architect Andrea Peschiera from Tectoo and our common friend Carlotta.
For all the other pics and contributes check #architectoursIAN18 on social media!
aMDL Michele De Lucchi Studio www.amdl.it
One Works www.one-works.com
Tectoo www.tectoo.com
Iosa Ghini Associati www.iosaghini.it
Fabrica www.fabrica.it
Fondazione Prada www.fondazioneprada.org
Punta della Dogana www.palazzograssi.it
