All Architectural Buildings

The Loggia and Odeo Cornaro are two Renaissance buildings in Padua, located in the eastern part of the historical center of the city, not far from the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. The structures were part of a larger complex of buildings and gardens built by Alvise Cornaro in the first half of the 16th century, in the vast park of his residence. Of the original complex, only a rectangular courtyard of about 32 by 18 meters remains. The Loggia occupies the entire short side, while the Odeo stands in the center of the long side.   SHORT HISTORY OF THE LOGGIA AND ODEO CORNARO The Loggia was desired by Alvise Cornaro as a physical expression of the idea of a humanist theater. The structure, designed by the architect and painter Giovanni Maria Falconetto from Verona, was built starting with 1524. The Odeo was built ten years after the Loggia, and it was the space intended for music and poetic recitations. Starting with 1540, the Odeo became the seat of the Academy of the Burning Ones (Accademia degli Infiammati), a philosophical and literary academy in Padua.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE LOGGIA AND ODEO CORNARO The Loggia is Read more [...]

Ospedale degli Incurabili (Hospital for the Incurable) is a large palace in Venice, located in the Dorsoduro district (sestiere), on Fondamenta delle Zattere. Today, the palace is the headquarters of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia).   SHORT HISTORY OF OSPEDALE DEGLI INCURABILI By the end of the 15th century, hospitals were founded in many Italian cities for those suffering from syphilis, which was then considered incurable. In 1517, the noblewomen Maria Malipiero and Marina Grimani created a small shelter in Venice for three women plagued by this new disease. The Venetian hospital was founded in 1522 by Gaetano Thiene. In 1531, Girolamo Emiliani took over the management of the hospital. At the beginning, the hospital buildings were made of wood. Only at the end of the 16th century, the hospital was rebuilt in bricks. The institution was hit by a financial crisis in 1755, which was followed by the crisis of all Venetian hospitals in 1775. In 1782, by decree of the Senate, Ospedale degli Incurabili passed to a new administration entirely at the expense of the state. In 1807, it became the most important civic hospital of the city. Starting with February Read more [...]

Palazzo della Libertà is a palace in Bergamo, located in the homonymous square, in the modern part of the city, Città Bassa.   SHORT HISTORY Palazzo della Libertà was built between 1937 and 1940 on a project by Alziro Bergonzo, to become the local headquarters of the National Fascist Party. The palace was named Casa Littoria and dedicated to Antonio Locatelli, airplane pilot in the First World War. The palace was inaugurated on October 28, 1939, the anniversary of the March on Rome of 1922, when Benito Mussolini came to power. The basement of Casa Littoria was used as a prison during the Republic of Salò, that existed between September 1943 and May 1945. After April 25, 1945, the palace housed the headquarters of the National Liberation Committee. The property passed to the State, and various public offices were housed there. Today, it houses the Prefecture, the offices of the Court, the State Forestry Corps and various offices of the Municipality.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE Palazzo della Libertà has a parallelepiped shape, entirely covered with Zandobbio marble. The main facade, overlooking the square, consists of an imposing portico of twelve giant pillars, holding an architrave bearing the dedication to Antonio Read more [...]

Scuola Grande di San Marco is a Renaissance building in Venice, located in the sestiere (district) of Castello, in Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, adjacent to Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo.   SHORT HISTORY OF SCUOLA GRANDE DI SAN MARCO The edifice was built in 1260 in the area of today’s Papadopoli Gardens as the seat of the Confraternity of San Marco. In 1437, the Dominicans of Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo granted an adjacent area for the construction of a new structure, which in 1485 was devastated by fire. Within the next years, the structure was rebuilt on a design by Pietro Lombardo and Giovanni Buora. In 1490, the works were entrusted to Mauro Codussi, who completed the facade and built the internal staircase. In the 16th century, the facade towards Rio dei Mendicanti was built, apparently with the contribution of Jacopo Sansovino. In 1807, under the Napoleonic rule, the Confraternity of San Marco was suppressed, and the building became the seat of the Austrian military hospital. Later, it was transformed into a civil hospital.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF SCUOLA GRANDE DI SAN MARCO The facade, a delicate composition of aedicules, Corinthian pilasters and statues in Read more [...]

Torre Velasca is a skyscraper in Milan, located in the homonymous square. Its name derives from the name of the Spanish politician Juan Fernández de Velasco, Duke of Milan in the 17th century.   SHORT HISTORY The building was designed by Studio BBPR for the company Ri.C.E. (Ricostruzione Comparti Edilizi SpA), which in 1949 obtained from the Municipality of Milan the license to build a multi-storey building for mixed commercial and residential use, following the devastation inflicted by the heavy bombings of the Second World War. The design studies began in 1950, with the collaboration of the Turin engineer Arturo Danusso, and were immediately directed towards the creation of a new symbol of the post-war rebirth of Milan. The final design of the building was completed in 1955, and was approved by the client and carried out by the General Real Estate Company between 1956 and 1957. The construction work lasted 292 days, ending eight days ahead of schedule. Following some changes of ownership in the 2000s, the building passed to the Fondiaria Sai, part of the Ligresti Group and, subsequently, after the merging with Unipol, it became part of the real estate assets of the new company UnipolSai, which Read more [...]