INA Casa, Council Estate for the construction sector workers (1951-1952)
via Benefattori dell'Ospedale 1-3, via Monzambano 1 (Milano)
Architects: Gigi Gho' (buildings a, b, c), Giulio Minoletti (buildings d, e, f)
Clerks of works: Eng. Gianni Bruni (buildings a, b, c), Eng. Aldo Morino (buildings d, e, f)
Contractor: Fratelli Romanoni (buildings a, b, c), C.o.l.a.p. (buildings d, e, f)
Client: Cassa Edile di Mutualità e Assistenza
via Benefattori dell'Ospedale 1-3, via Monzambano 1 (Milano)
Architects: Gigi Gho' (buildings a, b, c), Giulio Minoletti (buildings d, e, f)
Clerks of works: Eng. Gianni Bruni (buildings a, b, c), Eng. Aldo Morino (buildings d, e, f)
Contractor: Fratelli Romanoni (buildings a, b, c), C.o.l.a.p. (buildings d, e, f)
Client: Cassa Edile di Mutualità e Assistenza
At the beginning of his professional career, Gigi Gho' is appointed to design various council buildings for the Ina Casa program, known as “Piano Fanfani”. The program aimed at addressing the lack of housing in the post-war period by financing public works on the national territory. Designed in collaboration with his friend and master Gio Ponti, and contemporary with his most well-known building in the “Harar-Dessiè” quarter, the Casa Ina site for construction workers near the Niguarda hospital allowed Gho' to start another collaboration, this time with an architect closer to his generation, only five years older.
The trapezoidal shaped site between the railway tracks running across Milan’s northern outskirt, accommodates six parallel blocks that are well placed in the landscape, and oriented North-South according to a typical rationalist scheme. Gho' develops the first three buildings, one of which facing the street and with shops at the ground floor, whereas the other three blocks are designed by Giulio Minoletti, a Milanese architect close to Gio Ponti. Whereas Minoletti’s buildings are compact and stereometric, in line with the compositional principles of the time, Gho' opts for more unusual solutions, with a moderate sculptural approach based on Ponti’s influence.
The clever layout scheme of buildings B and C is arranged around two stairwells with access to the apartments from each landing floor, at the end of each flight of stairs. This solution, adopted from some audacious examples of 1930s Milanese houses, creates an original H-shaped plan with apartments with single or double exposure where the visibility is reduced to the minimum. From a figurative point of view, the loggias have a significant importance, facing the green with their protruding profiles. The third building, facing the street, is intended for shops and features apartments on the upper floor: it reveals an elegant facade, articulated by a regular sequence of shaped pillars in marble tiles, supporting a light canopy as crowning element, creating a clever game of shadows.
The close comparison between Minoletti and Gho' allows to draw some considerations about their design approach. Minoletti proposes solutions already experimented with expertise and without the fear to look ordinary. Gho' instead, although in a context of poor resources such as the one of council buildings, researches variety in the formal expressions, which is a clear sign of a greater restlessness. Even though both of them follow the line of a conquered modernity in a similar way, Minoletti - elegant architect from the Milanese bourgeoisie - possibly appears in contact with a client that is unusual for him, particularly if seen from the perspective of the fortunate development of his career; the younger Gho' – probably still on the wave of his personal growth - shows an uncommon vitality in catching the opportunity to experiment fine solutions from a formal and typology point of view.
The trapezoidal shaped site between the railway tracks running across Milan’s northern outskirt, accommodates six parallel blocks that are well placed in the landscape, and oriented North-South according to a typical rationalist scheme. Gho' develops the first three buildings, one of which facing the street and with shops at the ground floor, whereas the other three blocks are designed by Giulio Minoletti, a Milanese architect close to Gio Ponti. Whereas Minoletti’s buildings are compact and stereometric, in line with the compositional principles of the time, Gho' opts for more unusual solutions, with a moderate sculptural approach based on Ponti’s influence.
The clever layout scheme of buildings B and C is arranged around two stairwells with access to the apartments from each landing floor, at the end of each flight of stairs. This solution, adopted from some audacious examples of 1930s Milanese houses, creates an original H-shaped plan with apartments with single or double exposure where the visibility is reduced to the minimum. From a figurative point of view, the loggias have a significant importance, facing the green with their protruding profiles. The third building, facing the street, is intended for shops and features apartments on the upper floor: it reveals an elegant facade, articulated by a regular sequence of shaped pillars in marble tiles, supporting a light canopy as crowning element, creating a clever game of shadows.
The close comparison between Minoletti and Gho' allows to draw some considerations about their design approach. Minoletti proposes solutions already experimented with expertise and without the fear to look ordinary. Gho' instead, although in a context of poor resources such as the one of council buildings, researches variety in the formal expressions, which is a clear sign of a greater restlessness. Even though both of them follow the line of a conquered modernity in a similar way, Minoletti - elegant architect from the Milanese bourgeoisie - possibly appears in contact with a client that is unusual for him, particularly if seen from the perspective of the fortunate development of his career; the younger Gho' – probably still on the wave of his personal growth - shows an uncommon vitality in catching the opportunity to experiment fine solutions from a formal and typology point of view.
Bibliography about this work:
Case per lavoratori nell'edilizia in “Il giornale dei costruttori” 30 aprile, 1953
Case per lavoratori nell'edilizia in “Il giornale dei costruttori” 30 aprile, 1953
Design drawings and historical photos |
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