Completed in 1990 by Italian architect Aldo Rossi, the Town Hall of Borgoricco, Italy, is a quintessential example of Rossi’s architectural philosophy. The building is characterized by its repeated use of geometric forms such as cones, cylinders, and squares, which reflect Rossi’s commitment to a rational and timeless approach to design. The structure embodies Rossi’s “analogous architecture” concept, where historical references and modernist principles converge, creating a dialogue between tradition and innovation. This town hall not only serves as a functional civic space but also as a monumental expression of Rossi’s belief in the enduring power of architecture to evoke collective memory and cultural identity.
Town Hall of Borgoricco Technical Information
- Architects: Aldo Rossi
- Location: Borgoricco, Italy
- Typology: Cultural Architecture / Town Hall
- Project Year: 1990
- Topics: Postmodernism
- Photographs: © Andrea Pirisi
What surprises me most in architecture, as in other techniques, is that a project has one life in its built state but another in its written or drawn state.
– Aldo Rossi 1
Borgoricco Town Hall Photographs
Aldo Rossi’s Town Hall in Borgoricco
Although Aldo Rossi’s first project, the San Cataldo cemetery in Modena (begun in 1972), was contemporaneous with the publication of his most important theoretical works, his building work began in earnest only in the late 1970s and 1980s. Only in the last few years has his fame brought him a significant number of commissions in Italy.
Aldo Rossi submitted a design for the new town hall in 1983 for the small village of Borgoricco in the Province of Padua, situated roughly 30 kilometers northwest of Venice. The town hall was completed in 1990, and the U-shaped plan was adopted.
Borgoricco is a small, predominantly agricultural community in the Veneto’s flat plain that stretches inland from the islands of Venice. Borgoricco, like many small towns in the Veneto, is laid out on Roman town planning principles of an infinite grid of streets – cardo and decumanus. The number of allusions and references with which this small complex is packed is extraordinary.
Like the best postmodern architecture, the building works at many levels, from humble civic buildings to buildings rich in meaning. Aldo Rossi opens it up with a south-facing courtyard framed on one end by copper-clad, barrel-vaulted roofs that cascade down over the meeting room and the archives. Each of the three principal views is articulated in markedly different ways, yet ordered and related by such elements as the narrow brick walls that rise through the entire two stories.
Town Hall of Borgoricco Plans
About Aldo Rossi
Aldo Rossi (1931–1997) was an influential Italian architect, theorist, and designer known for his pioneering contributions to postmodern architecture. He gained international recognition for emphasizing the importance of history and memory in architectural design, often incorporating classical forms and geometric shapes into his work. Rossi’s approach, which he termed “analogous architecture,” sought to create spaces that resonated with collective memory and cultural identity. Among his most notable works are the Cemetery of San Cataldo in Modena, the Gallaratese Housing Complex in Milan, and the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. Rossi was also a prolific writer, with his seminal book The Architecture of the City becoming a key text in architectural theory. In 1990, he was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, cementing his legacy as one of the 20th century’s most significant architects.
Additional Notes
- Rossi, Aldo. The Architecture of the City. MIT Press, 1982.
- Aldo Rossi: The Complete Buildings and Projects by Morris Adjmi
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