TEMA

Category: Vol. 11 N. 1 (2025)

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  • THE GREAT ILLUSION. ORIGINS, PROSPECTS, AND DECLINE OF RESEARCH ON BUILDING INDUSTRIALIZATION IN ITALY

  • The bureaucratic mechanisms of the temporary home. Examining the development of prefabricated house-types through trade contracts between Finland and Israel, 1948-1958

    In the 1940s and 1950s, Finland became a major exporter of wooden prefabricated detached houses. The growth of this industry coincided with a great global demand for housing which followed the Second World War. Different companies and sawmills were active on the Finnish market, among them, the sales organizations Puutalo Oy and Puurakenteiden myyntiyhdistys. One of the biggest importers of the Finnish houses in the early post-war years was Israel. Gaining independence in 1948, the country had to resettle thousands of displaced refugees, arriving from Europe and the Mediterranean in need of a home. Israel’s trade agreements with Finland laid the foundation for a long-distance planning process when the state and other agents negotiated the designs of the houses with the Finnish manufacturers. The aim was to develop types suited especially for the Israeli needs. Based on ongoing research, this paper presents the complex diplomatic, economic, and political story of the import of the houses and the development of the models. The case is a challenging opportunity to learn from this period in mass housing history, building a methodology based on the paper trail left in official documents, correspondences, and architectural drawings, as well as in contemporary media, to discover the bureaucratic, political and economic mechanisms that shaped it.

  • Laveno Street Houses by Marco Zanuso. An Outstanding Experiment in Lightweight Prefabrication

    The paper focuses on one of the most interesting experiences in Italy about light prefabrication, developed by the Milanese architect and designer Marco Zanuso (1916-2001), a major protagonist at the national level in the debate on building industrialisation, together with the company FEAL (Fonderie Elettriche Alluminio e Leghe), an important Italian enterprise developing steel construction systems and producing aluminium building components. In the first half of the 1960s, Zanuso experimented with the VAR/M3 prefabricated system produced by FEAL for school buildings and tested its application to two housing complexes in Milan. Using this system, Zanuso built two apartment complexes, both in Milan one at Laveno Street (1960-1963) and the other at Solaroli Street (1965-1967), now Coari Street. The first of these two projects is especially significant for its experimental approach and the formal result achieved, which was favourably received by critics at the time but is still little studied today.

  • The construction of a steel skyscraper in Genoa. The Torre SIP by Bega, Gambacciani, and Viziano (1964-1969)

    In 1964, the SIP Company entrusted Piero Gambacciani, Attilio Viziano, and Melchiorre Bega with the construction of the Torre SIP in Genoa, which was intended to serve as the regional company headquarters. Standing at a height of 105 m, the Torre SIP represents Italy’s first instance of a skyscraper entirely constructed with a prefabricated steel structure. This paper explores the tower’s history, spanning from its conceptualization to completion.
    This essay delves into the pioneering industrial methodology applied to produce and realize its steel structure, starting with an overview of the skyscraper’s contextual conditions and primary attributes. As a symbolic embodiment of progress in assembling prefabricated steel load-bearing structures, the tower stands out for the systematic and harmonious deployment of modern operational procedures.
    In the design of the Torre SIP, the designers distinguished themselves by adeptly leveraging the potential of productive rationalization. Their accomplishment lies in creating a formally refined architectural artifact that transcends mere seriality while retaining strong linguistic connotations. By avoiding slavish adherence to technological coordination and pointless stylistic embellishments, the designers manifest a distinctly contemporary urban intervention, echoing the intent to position the building as “the last of a series and the first of another series”.

  • Prefabricated light steel construction. Research and prototypes for housing in Italy

    The use of steel technologies in the residential sector was deeply influenced by Italian historical events and its distinct cultural background, resulting in limited and occasional outcomes throughout the peninsula. Pursuing a common thread that links the design and technical development of the steel house may provide an opportunity to understand the genuine involvement of Italian technological culture in technical innovation and to critically evaluate individual contributions.
    Between the 1960s and 1970s, public and private bodies launched experimental and theoretical design research with a series of production initiatives. Numerous research institutes were established, fostering cooperative relationships between academic institutions and the private sector. Collaboration was encouraged between design teams, bodies, and firms involved in the production and promotion of steel, while some architects attempted to integrate the codes of prefabrication into an all-Italian code of planning geared towards aesthetics. Within the broader context of these activities, research and experiments concerning building prefabrication for residential purposes are examined in the paper, including both “programs” and “coordinated components” for which steel was used.

  • Raymond Camus’ First Building Sites in Le Havre, 1949-1953. A Testing Ground Before Conquering the World

    In just six years, the French engineer Raymond Camus achieved remarkable success. In 1950, he initiated the production of concrete panels in an abandoned warehouse at the port of Le Havre. By 1956, he signed a contract to export his heavy prefabrication system to the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The article describes Raymond Camus’ pioneering projects in Le Havre. Between 1949 and 1953, Camus constructed 10 apartment buildings and 65 detached houses, employing his heavy prefabrication system. In 1949, he leased a disused hangar at the port of Le Havre to establish his workshop for casting concrete panels. The initial panels were crafted manually by unskilled laborers and transported by semi-trailer to the construction site of slot 17, where the first residential building utilizing the Camus system was assembled. Raymond Camus developed a comprehensive process, from producing panels in the workshop and their transportation to the construction site to assembling them into buildings. Within just nine months, Raymond Camus’s firm succeeded in assembling the first residential building made from prefabricated panels. The construction efficiency quickly garnered a strong reputation for both Raymond Camus and his technology. Subsequently, he was commissioned to develop slot 21. His growing experience led to the construction of two more apartment blocks for the French railway company (SNCF – Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) and several single-family homes, further refining his techniques in both panel manufacturing and their technical design.

  • Prefabrication Between Tradition and Innovation: The First Nucleus of Mirafiori Sud in Turin

    In Italy, the start of prefabrication and building industrialization experiences took place slowly and late compared to other European countries. The debate between the main workers in the construction sector and the representatives of the economic and political world on post-war reconstruction was oriented towards a substantial reconfirmation of traditional construction methods. Added to the productive backwardness of the Italian construction industry was the difficulty of supplying materials and the opposition of much of the academic and professional culture to the experimentation and introduction of industrialized systems. The problems posed by the severe housing deficit of the post-war and following years laboriously paved the way for the first national experiments with prefabrication and building industrialization systems. Due to the need to act urgently to contain construction costs – a relevant problem given the size of the housing problem – the rules of the 1963 Gescal were explicitly addressed to the use of industrialized and prefabricated construction systems. The Gescal years allowed Italy to start large-scale experimentation and application of prefabrication. Among the public interventions of the early 1960s, the construction of the first nucleus of the Mirafiori Sud district in Turin stands out for its peculiar, almost experimental dimension between tradition and innovation.

  • Nursery school buildings in prefabrication techniques from the early 60s to the 80s in Italy. Historical, technological, and pedagogical overview

    Prefabricated technologies have historically been associated with large-scale construction projects, particularly gaining momentum after the Second World War due to the demand for rapid and cost-effective building solutions. From the 1960s to the early 1980s, several innovative prefabricated systems were developed in Italy specifically for the construction of nursery schools. While prefabricated systems in compulsory school buildings have been extensively researched, innovative designs for nursery schools have largely been overlooked. The introduction of new cellular prefabricated systems has enabled a novel design approach, resulting in innovative school configurations that have significant implications for pedagogical practices. This paper provides a critical overview of the most widely used systems, transitioning from those based on the Camus model to those specifically designed to meet the needs of nursery school buildings. The novelty of this approach lies in the correlation between the new prefabrication systems and their associated pedagogical implications. It demonstrates how effective prefabricated technologies can address the educational requirements of increasingly flexible learning environments, accommodate potential spatial variations over time, and achieve a high level of environmental integration to optimize the efficient use of both indoor and outdoor spaces.

  • The modular and functional design of the prefabricated building organism. The emblematic case of the “Block-Volume” system

    The contribution addresses modular and functional design within the building organism. Specifically, it relates to prefabrication processes. The topic of modularity and modular coordination has been the focus of numerous research studies from the early 20th century to the present. This begins with a preliminary analysis of the state of the art concerning studies and publications focused on modular coordination and prefabrication, which established the scientific prerequisites for the first implementations. In fact, using modular coordination is a key process tool for industrialisation in construction. The research analysed various applications of prefabricated systems in northeast Italy, particularly in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. The representative case of the company Ursella di Buja in Udine shows a synthesis between the evolution of prefabricated systems through the realisation of numerous buildings and, most importantly, the creation of new construction solutions. The paper highlights the innovation of prefabricated systems, transitioning from the production of two-dimensional panels to the “Block-Volume” system. This represented an innovative response to the urgent demand for new housing following the tragic earthquake that devastated the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in 1976.

  • Post-World War II Prefabrication and Industry in Central-Southern Italy: Two Case Studies, in Campania and Lazio

    The paper presents two emblematic examples located at the extremes of the most significant phases of building industrialization in Italy. The first example, in Campania, is the Pozzi Ginori complex in Sparanise (1960-1963) by Luigi Figini and Gino Pollini; the second, in Lazio, is the IBM Italia factory in Santa Palomba (1979-1984) by Marco Zanuso. These industrial complexes both belonged to a program for the industrial development of the most disadvantaged socio-economic areas in Italy. These two industrial plants, resulting from studies by well-known designers, represent the transition from formal and technological experimentation to an adaptation to standard production. They involve the whole project and the construction site and are characterized by the concentration of various innovative aspects, such as the treatment of finishing materials and a sophisticated relationship between building typology and landscape context.

  • The Italian experience in precast construction in the second half of the 20th century: systems for industrial buildings

    The developments in concrete prefabrication techniques from the second half of the 20th century, particularly in Italy, have established these methods as a dominant force in the construction of industrial buildings. This period offers a valuable opportunity to explore the industrialisation of the construction sector. The roots of this transformation can be traced back to the 1920s, when a highly rational approach to building design and production processes began to take hold in industrial construction. This rationality persisted into the post-World War II era, where technological advancements in materials enabled the creation of innovative and daring structures for industrial purposes. The industrial boom further fueled the demand for new buildings to be constructed rapidly, ensuring swift production capabilities. This article aims to provide an overview of the key precast reinforced concrete construction systems that formed the backbone of industrial construction in the post-war period. During this time, industrial construction fostered experimentation and the development of cutting-edge techniques, achieving significant results across various fields of application. The article offers a taxonomy of the main systems used during the period under review, with a particular focus on structural systems, ranging from those partially cast in situ to fully industrialised systems, as well as on building envelope elements. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the critical role of precast systems in Italy’s industrialisation.

  • The Italian socio-historical framework of precast construction in the second half of the 20th century

    The events that have given nearly exclusive prominence to concrete precasting techniques since the second half of the 20th century (at least in Italy) in the production of industrial buildings offer a chance to create an engaging overview of the industrialization of the construction sector. This overview cannot be separated from brief recollections of previous decades as well as a glance at contemporary developments. Unlike the housing sector, industrial precasting does not suffer from the obstructionism of complacent builders towards traditional technologies, the distrust demonstrated by many architects toward the ideologization and politicization of principles, or, ultimately, the confinement to a low-cost, low-quality building market. The survey begins in the 1920s when a strongly rational approach to building design and production processes emerged and mainly focuses on the post-World War II period, when industrial construction encouraged experimentation and developed avant-garde techniques, achieving significant results across various fields of application.

  • Afterword: matter of fact and open issues on the industrialised buildings heritage

    Within the postwar building stock, prefabricated buildings represent a significant subset in both terms of the quantity and the urgency of its safeguard, which is increasingly needed by their ongoing and extended deterioration phenomena. According to “The Twentieth-Century Historic Thematic Framework”, published in 2021 by Getty Conservation Institute, the heritage of prefabricated buildings is outlined in Theme 2, “Accelerated scientific and technological development”, enclosing the product of the large-scale pervasive effects of the technological progress of the 20th century. Nevertheless, at the time of this writing, the post-war industrialised buildings are still generally neglected and rarely protected: supported by the generalised public negative image of the prefabricated buildings – which have aged poorly – demolitions and the canceling of memories are broadly the case worldwide. In this text, some matters of fact and open issues functional to the reframing of industrialised buildings within the 20th-century architectural and technological heritage are outlined and discussed.