ITALIA 61
Perimetro compreso tra il fiume Po, c. Unità d'Italia, v. Ventimiglia - 10100 TORINO (TO)
   
   
View towards the Palazzo del Lavoro during "Italia '61"
Source of photograph: Catalogo ufficiale Italia '61
TYPE:
• Urban complex
• Neighbourhood

CURRENT USE:
• Sports Village, international study center, urban park, research center

HISTORICAL USE:
• Exhibition pavilions

LEGAL STATUS:
• Most part public (domain, Municipality and other bodies)

PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION 1959 - 1961
• Annibale Rigotti
• Franco Levi
• Giorgio Rigotti
• Nello Renacco
• Pier Luigi Nervi

NEW USE 2004 - 2006
• Gae Aulenti

“For the festivities of the first centenary of the Unity of Italy, in December 1959, the City of Turin (heedless of the 1956-1959 town-planning scheme for greenery) picked the area between the River Po and Via Ventimiglia as the main site of the celebrations. On the basis of a development plan conceived by Nello Renacco, every exposition building was realised in record time, although only partly preserved afterwards.
The most remarkable architectonic episode is still the Labour Building, erected to a design by the engineers Pier Luigi and Antonio Nervi (with internal fitting out in 1961 by Gio Ponti). Sixteen mushroom-shaped pillars each independent of the other were realised with just one gauge box calculated so as to be self-stable and self-centred without any tie-rods. Built to a design by architects Annibale and Giorgio Rigotti, with the engineers Franco Levi and Silvio Bizzari, Palazzo a Vela, was transformed keeping the great ribbed vault into a small fire red coloured ice rink by Gae Aulenti for the 2006 Winter Olympics” (Texts by Sergio Pace taken from “Guide to Turin Architecture” a. c. of Carlo Olmo and Vera Comoli, Torino Allemandi 1999).

The facility extends from the Labour Building at the rotunda of Corso Traiano to the widening where the Automobile Museum is situated. Though the doorways to the main building are on Via Genova, the best way to grasp the monumental nature of the whole complex is by driving along Corso Unità d’Italia or just gazing at it from Cavoretto Hill in Europa Park. Recently an overpass and a rearrangement of the greenery equipped area have made strolling through the park more pleasant.
It too was designed in 1960-61 and is rather frequented, especially on the side towards the Po. Although a visit to the Palaghiaccio ice rink lets you appreciate the technical qualities of the construction more than anything else, besides the elegance of the great concrete sail which covers the newly built parts, the hypostyle hall of the Labour Building is a place worth stopping to see. Hardly adaptable to contemporary needs, it remains a contradictory emblem of a celebration of modernity of extraordinary impact but also of scarce practical concerns. Although the structure has withstood the passing of time, one cannot say the same thing about the façades, which were originally masterpieces of lightness and transparency. The pavilions of the regions have been renovated several times, just like the circular pavilion once a social security premises situated on Via Ventimiglia.

Modern architecture in the surrounding areas:
Also to see is the Automobile Museum (A. Albertini, 1960) not far from the Lingotto. The residential buildings in Via Ventimiglia 196-206 by Gualtiero Casalengo are meaningful with respect to the residential buildings erected in those years. One kilometre away as the crow flies there is the Europa Park, on Cavoretto Hill, designed in 1961 and connected to the estate by means of a cableway (no longer existing). It is still open to the public and is a good viewing spot to see this part of town.

Public opening hours:
The Palavela is opened for sports events and it is possible to tour it upon appointment. The Labour Building, belonging to the City of Turin, may be toured during events.

Sources:
S: Pace, C. Chiorino, M. Rosso, Italia 61. Identità e miti nelle celebrazioni per il centenario dell’Unità d’Italia, Allemandi, Torino 2006

, Numero monografico dedicato a Italia 61, in L'architettura - Cronache e storia n. 70, agosto, 1961
AA. VV.,, L'esposizione internazionale del Lavoro, in Domus n. 380, 1961


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