The Torrione INA (transl. "INA Tower"), also known as Torrione or Grattacielo, is a tall building in Brescia, Italy. Built between 1930 and 1932, it is the first skyscraper in Italy and also one of the first skyscrapers in Europe.[2][3][4] It was designed by the Italian architect Marcello Piacentini for the INA – Istituto Nazionale Assicurazioni ("National Insurance Institute").[5] At the time of its completion, it was the tallest concrete high-rise in Europe aside from the “Boerentoren” in Antwerp.[2][6][7]
| Torrione INA | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | Torrione |
| Record height | |
| Tallest in Italy from 1932 to 1934[I] | |
| Surpassed by | Torre Littoria (Turin) |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Commercial offices Residential |
| Address | Piazza della Vittoria |
| Town or city | Brescia |
| Country | Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°32′18.67″N 10°13′7.93″E / 45.5385194°N 10.2188694°E |
| Construction started | 1930 |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Opened | 1 November 1932 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 57.25 m (187.8 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 15 (13 above ground) |
| Lifts/elevators | 5 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Marcello Piacentini |
| References | |
| [1] | |
The tower was officially opened by Benito Mussolini on 1 November 1932.[8][9] The architectural style of this building is predominantly Art Deco, with influences from Chicago School. Indeed, the Torrione INA was inspired by a project that Piacentini had submitted in 1922 for the Chicago Tribune's architectural competition.[2]
The Torrione INA had been used as a model for other Italian skyscrapers, such as the Torre Littoria in Turin and the Torre Piacentini in Genoa.[2][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Notizie tecniche e statistiche sulla costruzione di Piazza della Vittoria" (PDF). Architettura (in Italian). Vol. 11, no. 12. Milan, Rome: Treves-Treccani-Tumminelli. December 1932. pp. 674–683. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d Settis, Salvatore (2016). If Venice Dies. New Vessel Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-939931-37-5.
- ^ Pannullo, Antonio (18 May 2015). "Piacentini, l'archistar del fascismo che cambiò il volto delle nostre città" (in Italian). secoloditalia.it. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Il primo grattacielo d'Italia" (in Italian). Corriere del Pomeriggio. 3 September 1931. p. 7.
- ^ Franco Robecchi; Gian Paolo Treccani (1993). Piazza della Vittoria (in Italian). Brescia: Grafo.
- ^ a b Pasini, Maria Paola (13 August 2015). "Dal Torrione Ina allo Skyline 18: la storia dei grattacieli bresciani". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Il più alto edificio d'Europa sarà elevato a Brescia". La Stampa (in Italian). 5 September 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Il Torrione di Piazza della Vittoria: il primo grattacielo d'Italia". itineraribrescia.it (in Italian). 21 January 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Il grattacielo che l'Italia fascista volle costruire alla moda di Chicago" (in Italian). bresciaoggi.it. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.