More than just Torre Velasca: examples of brutalist architecture in Milan and throughout Italy

‘It’s a spaceship that has landed in the centre of Milan!’ ‘It looks like a cheese grater!’ These are just some of the many comments made by the Milanese press back in 1961, the year in which the iconic Torre Velasca (Velasca Tower) was inaugurated, earning it the nickname ‘The Grater’. However, even at the time, some people predicted the importance it would acquire over time.

This building in Milan has become a symbol, dividing opinions, and becoming one of the most important examples of brutalist architecture in Italy. Milan has a penchant for provocation through art and architecture, but also for looking ahead and setting trends.

So let’s take a look at some examples of important brutalist architecture in Milan and in Italy.

What’s inside the Torre Velasca?

The open panoramic interiors of the Velasca Tower are like a kaleidoscope from which you can observe Milan in its entirety and from multiple angles. From the offices, shops and restaurants you can admire the Gothic, bohemian, Art Nouveau and Neo-Art Nouveau city around the Duomo.

In the distance, the most recent skyscrapers of the financial district stand out. You can even glimpse the old factories and the new urban residential districts that in recent years have been reclaiming green spaces, oxygen and new, more efficient and sustainable public services.

The Torre Velasca is certainly an iconic example of brutalist architecture, provocative and avant-garde in equal measure, so much so that it has also inspired the rest of Italy.

What does brutalist mean?

Brutalism is a controversial style, which has always divided opinion among those who observe buildings or works of this type. However, in recent years it has undergone a process of rediscovery and re-evaluation.

This artistic and architectural style, accompanied by the fashions and cultural movements of the time and the first post-war workers’ protests, originated in Great Britain in the 1950s. The term derives from the French “béton brut”, which means “raw concrete”, which often characterises the façades of brutalist buildings. It has the following characteristics:

it is based on the use of raw materials such as reinforced concrete, exposed concrete and steel;
the lines are geometric and squared, there is no decoration;
the supporting structure is emphasised and becomes an aesthetic element;
it expresses the concepts of honesty, brutality and the rejection of that which is superfluous and banal.

Brutalist works in Milan

More than just the Torre Velasca, brutalism in Milan represents an important chapter in the history of architecture and residential real estate, with works that have left an indelible mark on the city, and with different nuances depending on the period.

Here are the other examples of brutalism, with the names of the architects and the chronological order of inauguration:

Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium (1926) by Ulisse Stacchini

The use of exposed concrete for the stands and side towers has made it one of the temples of world football, but it also heralded the principles of brutalism. Although not a work from the brutalist period, it enhances its structure and functionality.

Torre al Parco (1956) by Vico Magistretti

A residential complex with serizzo and granite grit façades and balconies jutting out towards Parco Sempione. The compositional freedom of the volumes and the chromatic harmony are striking.

The reconstruction of the Marchiondi Spagliardi Institute (1957) by Vittoriano Viganò
Exposed reinforced concrete for socialisation and pedagogical environments.

An expressive composition that emphasises the educational aspect. A model of this work is on display at the MoMA in New York.

INA Building (1958) by Piero Bottoni

This urban complex is associated with rationalist architecture, however the prefabricated concrete and ceramic balconies give it a brutalist connotation.

Church of San Giovanni Bono (1968) by Arrigo Arrighetti

1968 was the year of revolutions, also in the ecclesiastical world. In Milan, the decision was made to create a new modern neighbourhood, Sant’Ambrogio.

So Arrighetti designed this new church with an innovative style, breaking with traditional architectural norms. It is a contemporary pyramid with exposed concrete.

Palazzo La Serenissima – Campari (1971) by Ermenegildo and Eugenio Soncini

Palazzo Campari is just a stone’s throw from the iconic Torre Velasca, so it could have been influenced by it.

Today it is an example of Italian brutalism with its façade characterised by a grid of bricks and large windows.

Palazzo Mondadori (1975) by Oscar Niemeyer

This building is recognised for its imposing concrete structure characterised by distinctive curves and geometric shapes.

The building features parabolic arches in reinforced concrete and reinforced brick floors.

Examples of brutalist architecture in Italy

Brutalist architecture in Italy is represented by a number of institutional, religious and residential buildings. However, the trend has not been as widespread as in other countries.

Here are a few, characterised by exposed reinforced concrete and squared lines in contrast to past styles:

Experimental House in Matera (1954) by Luigi Piccinato

Made of exposed reinforced concrete, with simple geometric shapes and pure volumes, it represents an example of ‘Mediterranean’ brutalism, adapted to the local climate and context.

Stadio Flaminio in Rome (1959) by Pier Luigi Nervi

The innovative use of reinforced concrete and the cantilevered roof structure make this an iconic work of Italian brutalism, with a strong emphasis on functionality and technology.

The Olivetti Building in Ivrea (1964) by Luigi Figini and Gino Pollini

One of the first urban regeneration projects in Italy, it focused on working-class suburbs. In exposed reinforced concrete and geometric lines typical of ‘humanist’ brutalism.

Faculty of Architecture in Florence (1972) by Giovanni Michelucci

A university building in reinforced concrete with a ‘teca’ (display case) shape. An example of Italian brutalist architecture.

Extension of the Monumental Cemetery in Jesi (1994) by Leonardo Ricci

Works made with clearly visible reinforced concrete, and additional volumes with a ‘labyrinth’ shape.

‘Le Lavatrici’ in Genoa (1989) by Aldo Luigi Rizzo, Aldo Pino, Andrea Mor, Angelo Sibilla

A very large residential complex, in reinforced concrete with a ‘stepped’ elevation.

Casa Sperimentale (Experimental House) in Fregene (1959) by Giuseppe Perugini

A reinforced concrete villa with a ‘temple’ structure.

Palazzo del Lavoro (Labour Building) in Turin (1961) by Nervi & Nebbia

Office building in reinforced concrete with a ‘sail’ shaped façade.

Embassy building in Rome (1961) by Basil Spence

Close to the Aurelian walls and Porta Pia, it was rebuilt after a terrorist attack.

The Quadrilatero in Trieste (1971 and 1982) by Celli Tognon

Works representative of the brutalist style, including the headquarters of the Galileo Galilei scientific high school (1971) and the residential complex in the Rozzol Melara neighbourhood (1982).

National Temple to Mary Mother and Queen (1966) by Antonio Guacci

The idea for this imposing sanctuary in the shape of a truncated pyramid, made of grey concrete and glass, located on a mountain top near Trieste, came from the bishop of Trieste and Capodistria, Antonio Santin, who in 1945 made a vow to the Madonna to save the city from the bombings of the war.

Palacultura in Messina (2009) by F. Basile

Designed in 1977, it has become a symbol of eclectic architecture in Italy, with its imposing façade.

Villa in Costa Smeralda (2019) by Stefania Stera

Clinging to the rocks of Porto Cervo, this is a rare jewel of contemporary, re-adapted brutalism. The apartment building is also inspired by Cini Boeri’s Bunker House.

Article translated by Agnese Giardini