CASTELVECCHIO

CASTELVECCHIO
LIZ WEEKLY – ARCH 567 – 27 APRIL 2006
Carlo Scarpa
-Worked primarily in
Venice as a part of the Venice
Biennale and the Fine Arts b. 1906 – d. 1978
Academy
-From 1933 to 1947 Scarpa was
the glass consultant for Venini, a
Venetian glass manufacturer
-Influences include: Hoffman,
Loos and Wagner as well as the
organic style of Frank Lloyd Wright
-Taught architecture at Venice’s
Institute of Architecture
-Other than Architecture and
glass he was known for his
curatorial work and ability to
make the most out of the effects
of lighting on materials
-Believed that the new should be
integrated with the old and the
new should be distinctive from the
old
http://www.comune.verona.it/Castelvecchio/
cvsito/
http://www.comune.verona.it/Castelvecchio/
cvsito/
“The problem of historical materials, which we can never ignore but can’t
imitate directly either, is an issue that has always concerned me . . . I’ve had
nothing but trouble from planning rules in Venice and the bureaucracies who
interpret them. They order you to imitate the style of ancient windows
forgetting that those windows were produced in different times by a different
way of life with “windows” made of other materials in other styles and with a
different way of making windows. Anyway stupid imitations of that sort always
look mean. Buildings that imitate look like humbugs and that’s just the way they
are” – Carlo Scarpa (Murphy 1990)
-Castelvecchio = Old Castle
-Built between 1354 and 1356 in
Verona, Italy, commissioned by the
della Scala family for defense and
fortification
-In 1404 the castle was used for
military purposes following Carrara
and Visconti dominations and later
became the seat of the Venetian
Military Academy
-In 1797 army barracks were
scheduled to be built, but only a
small section was built
-Beginning in 1923 the castle
underwent several changes. Late
Gothic and Renaissance decorations
were added to the façade
reconstruction of military elements
were reconstructed
- In 1925 the castle became a
museum housing valuable art
Jason Alread collection
-In 1958 Carlo Scarpa was entrusted with the complete restoration and
adaptive reuse of the castle
-Planned to restore the structure to its original design of the mid-1300s,
including a modern exhibition addition for the re-installation of the
museum
-Scarpa’s solution was to restore
the building but add new, more
modern elements
-Wanted to reflect upon the
relationship
between new and old elements of
Architecture*
-Made sure that the new did not
match
the old; respected history
-Concerned with how materials
interact
with each other and light
http://www.comune.verona.it/Castelvecchio/cvsito/
*Maria Crippa,
Exterior Exhibition
Addition
-subtlety seen from
exterior
-follows our standards for
additions
-follows European
recommendations from
European Charters:
Athens and Venice
Charters
stating that additions
should
not try to imitate the
original
structure
Jason Alread collection
-Congrade II della Scala
equestrian sculpture
strategically
placed to be seen from
-New floors for the installation, but
kept the integrity of the walls, windows
and the old feeling of the room
-New is distinct from the old
-Believed in the quality of the material
and minimal to no decoration; the
building materials are beautiful
enough
http://www.comune.verona.it/Castelvecchio/cvsito/
-does not distract from the
installation
CONCLUSIONS
SOURCES
http://www.comune.verona.it/
Castelvecchio/cvsito
Jason Alread photograph collection
Carlo Scarpa by Maria Antonietta Crippa,
1986
http://www.studiocleo.com/gallerie/
scarpa/scarpapage.html
http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/mellin/
arch671/winter2001/htian1/drm/
precedents/scarpapage.htm
Carlo Scarpa and the Castelvecchio by
Richard Murphy, 1990
Carlo Scarpa edited by Nicola Zanichelli,
1984
Carlo Scarpa: The Craft of Architecture
edited by Peter Noever, 2003