carlo berizzi compiles an architectural guide to milan

carlo berizzi compiles an architectural guide to milan
(above) velasca tower as seen from terrazza martini
image © caterina maria carla bona

architectural guide milan
author: carlo berizzi
graphic design: caterina maria carla bona
publisher: DOM publishers, berlin
year: 2015
format: 134 × 245mm
features: softcover, 300 pages, 350 images
language: english
ISBN: 978-3-86922-396-4

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designboom rating: (excellent, recommended)
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since the 1920s the italian city of milan has become a laboratory for different styles of urban construction. in this architectural guide, author carlo berizzi examines the impact of over 150 buildings, responsible for transforming the industrial city of the nineteenth century into to a global capital of culture, fashion and leisure.

milan’s path into the modern age began with the ca’ brutta, the ‘ugly house’ (1919-1923). from then on the city became an experimental field for architects such as giuseppe terragni, gio ponti and giuseppe pagano. following the second world war, a new trend arose following the reconstruction of the city, combining modernity with its existing context through the works of BBPR, luigi caccia dominioni, ignazio gardella and franco albini.

ca’ brutta on via della moscova
image © caterina maria carla bona

in the last decade alone, various urban developments have taken place owing to areas which feature the work of internationally renowned architects, including david chipperfield, zaha hadid and daniel libeskind, in addition to italian architects such as cino zucchi and stefano boeri.

in six thematic itineraries, berizzi documents milan’s most significant buildings and classifies them in terms of their historical and urban context. proposed routes follow the development of the metropolis before and after the second world war, tracing the foundations of the roman city around the cathedral, before leading readers through the ‘quadrilatero della moda’, where in addition to shops and showrooms, many significant milestones of modernity can be found.

porta nuova as seen from branca tower
image © caterina maria carla bona

other important stopping points include the district of brera, the renowned center of art and culture, and porta nuova, where many of the city’s twenty-first century structures are sited. other emerging neighborhoods are also explored, such as via tortona and via savona, which every year in spring become an important part of milan design week. here, architects such as tadao ando and antonio citterio have transformed an assortment of industrial buildings.

collegio di milano, designed by marco zanuso
image © caterina maria carla bona

a further four chapters present individual projects with contributions from both the milanese architect cino zucchi, who curated the italian pavilion at the 2014 venice architecture biennale, and the landscape architect andreas kipar. the additional sections complement the publication with insightful revelations regarding the cultural, historical and environmental aspects of milanese architecture.

parco delle basiliche
image © caterina maria carla bona

with expo 2015 currently taking place, the book provides the city’s growing number of visitors with an invaluable resource with which to explore milan. throughout the publication’s 300 illustrated pages, berizzi offers a concise yet rich guide to the city’s different styles of architecture, allowing the reader to gain a profound understanding of the city’s diversely layered history.

view of parco delle basiliche, porta nuova and the alps
image © stefano gusmeroli