Born in the post-war period in the United Kingdom, the Brutalism movement was first met with skepticism but has found a new appreciation in the last decade, capturing the imagination of new designers fascinated with the interplay between striking geometric shapes and the exposed raw materials in which they are rendered. From Britain, the movement spread throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, gathering different variations influenced by the cultural and socio-economic status of each area. In this article, we delve into the particularities that define Italy's contribution to the Brutalist movement, exploring the style through the lens of Roberto Conte and Stefano Perego. The two photographers have also published a photographic essay on the subject, taking the form of a book titled “Brutalist Italy: Concrete Architecture from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea”.
Italian Architecture: The Latest Architecture and News
Italian Architect and Designer Andrea Branzi Passes Away at 84
Italian Designer and architect Andrea Branzi passed away on October 9, 2023. Born in Florence in 1938, Branzi co-founded the world-renowned architecture studio Archizoon Associati. The studio also consisted of Gilberto Corretti, Paolo Deganello, and Massimo Morozzi, and then were joined by Dario and Lucia Bartolini. Andrea Branzi also played a significant role in establishing the iconic Domus Academy and served as a professor and chairman at the Politecnico di Milano’s School of Interior Design.
ELASTICOFarm, Led by Stefano Pujatti, Wins the Italian Architecture Prize
Architecture studio ELASTICOFarm, led by Stefano Pujatti, has been awarded the Premio Italiano di Architettura (Italian Architecture Prize), promoted by the Triennale di Milano and MAXXI. The award, now in its fourth edition, is received in recognition of their S-LAB project, a new building in Turin, Italy, for the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). The prize highlights works of architecture with high design quality and an attentive approach to innovation and the social role of architecture.
Italian Cistercian Architecture Through The Lens of Federico Scarchilli
In his latest photographic collection, Federico Scarchilli captures Cistercian order in the form of Abbazia di Fossanova, Casamari, and Valvisciolo. Simple and utilitarian, Cistercian architecture reflects the transition between the Romanesque and Gothic periods. During this time, many religious authorities felt excessive ornamentation was a distraction to spiritual studies.