The Rinascente in Piazza Fiume

Franco Albini and Franca Helg: La Rinascente, Rome (1957-62)

One of the central themes that animated the architectural debate in Italy in the 1950s is that of the relationship between new architecture and historic centers: it is debated whether the modern has citizenship rights in ancient areas and what principles new interventions should follow. The most convincing results of this season are those which, instead of indulging in mimicry comforters, measure themselves against the environmental pre-existences without renouncing to express their contemporaneity. And this is the case of Rinascente, the only work created in Rome by Franco Albini and considered the best example of inserting a contemporary building in the historical fabric of this city.
The place is an area between Piazza Fiume, Via Salaria and Via Aniene, characterized by the presence of the Aurelian walls and a late nineteenth-century residential building fabric.

The functional program set by the Borletti family, owner of "La Rinascente", was that of any large warehouse: a ten-storey volume, with deposits in the basements, attic offices and a sales area on the intermediate floors, as much as possible without dimensions to guarantee maximum flexibility, artificially and constantly illuminated and ventilated .....

See the complete description and the dwg drawings of the project ..... >>
See photos of the interior ..... >>