Complex for apartments, offices and shops at Frua District (1963-1966), piazza Ernesto De Angeli 1, 3, via Giuseppe Frua 14, Milano
Reinforced concrete calculations: Eng. Carlo Ghezzi
Radiant heating panels system: Sitis
Contractor: Co.Ge.Co.
Reinforced concrete calculations: Eng. Carlo Ghezzi
Radiant heating panels system: Sitis
Contractor: Co.Ge.Co.
In the early 1970s, the historical factory of textile company De Angeli Frua was located in the area near piazza De Angeli in Milan. The complex - damaged by the August 1945 bombing - occupied the area along the Olona river, known at the time as Borgo della Maddalena. The works to realise a new stop along the “Linea Uno” of the Milan Underground prompted the creation of a new neighborhood - dedicated to the memory of the entrepreneur Giuseppe Frua - as redevelopment of an industrial abandoned area.
The master plan shows features that are typical of the rationalist city planning, consisting of a series of blocks that are free standing, aligned, surrounded by the green, and with North-South orientation. The buildings are enriched by a series of commercial galleries directly connected to the exits of the Underground: partly outdoor and partly subterranean passages, with shop windows facing onto them, and partially not in use today.
The design of the various buildings was assigned to different architects, such as Pietro Lingeri and Italo Gamberini from Florence. Gigi Gho' designs three buildings in total: two in piazza De Angeli - at the north-east corner of the neighborhood - and a third one, sitting along via Giuseppe Frua at the back of the square and built at a later stage.
The twin buildings in piazza De Angeli are characterised by a sober modern language, with different forms reflecting specific functions: an elegant canopy for the commercial area at the ground floor, a regular sequence of windows for the office space, and openings of various sizes for the internal residential units. Most of the architectural features - the segmental arch loggias, the use of antique copper, and in particular the splayed windows - seem to be inspired by the Luigi Caccia Dominioni works realised in those years. This is a demonstration of how Gho` successfully interpreted the Milanese architectural trends of the time.
The third building - located on via Giuseppe Frua 14 - although similar in plan to the other two buildings, displays huge stylistic differences: from the cladding in opaque clinker, laid down to create a continuous chiaroscuro effect, to the clay tiled canopies which mark horizontally each floor, giving the architecture an unusual vernacular look. According to the initial drawings, the designer intended to cover the canopies with copper to obtain a more modern-looking profile.
The master plan shows features that are typical of the rationalist city planning, consisting of a series of blocks that are free standing, aligned, surrounded by the green, and with North-South orientation. The buildings are enriched by a series of commercial galleries directly connected to the exits of the Underground: partly outdoor and partly subterranean passages, with shop windows facing onto them, and partially not in use today.
The design of the various buildings was assigned to different architects, such as Pietro Lingeri and Italo Gamberini from Florence. Gigi Gho' designs three buildings in total: two in piazza De Angeli - at the north-east corner of the neighborhood - and a third one, sitting along via Giuseppe Frua at the back of the square and built at a later stage.
The twin buildings in piazza De Angeli are characterised by a sober modern language, with different forms reflecting specific functions: an elegant canopy for the commercial area at the ground floor, a regular sequence of windows for the office space, and openings of various sizes for the internal residential units. Most of the architectural features - the segmental arch loggias, the use of antique copper, and in particular the splayed windows - seem to be inspired by the Luigi Caccia Dominioni works realised in those years. This is a demonstration of how Gho` successfully interpreted the Milanese architectural trends of the time.
The third building - located on via Giuseppe Frua 14 - although similar in plan to the other two buildings, displays huge stylistic differences: from the cladding in opaque clinker, laid down to create a continuous chiaroscuro effect, to the clay tiled canopies which mark horizontally each floor, giving the architecture an unusual vernacular look. According to the initial drawings, the designer intended to cover the canopies with copper to obtain a more modern-looking profile.
Bibliography about this work:
Jolanda Ventura (a cura di), Gigi Gho': progetti e architetture 1950-1995, [s.e.], 1997, pp.152-163
Jolanda Ventura (a cura di), Gigi Gho': progetti e architetture 1950-1995, [s.e.], 1997, pp.152-163
Design drawings and historical photos |
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