Torre Velasca
Building in Milan, Italy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Torre Velasca ("Velasca Tower") is a skyscraper built in the 1950s by the BBPR architectural partnership, in Milan, Italy. The tower has 26 stories.[3]
| Torre Velasca | |
|---|---|
 Torre Velasca seen from the roof of Duomo | |
 Interactive map of the Torre Velasca area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Location | Milan, Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°27′36″N 9°11′26″E |
| Construction started | 1956[1] |
| Completed | 1958[1] |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 98 m (322 ft) |
| Top floor | 75 m (246 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 26[2] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | BBPR |
| Main contractor | Società Generale Immobiliare |
The tower, measuring 75 metres (246 ft) in height to the roof with an additional 23-metre-tall (75 ft) antenna spire (total 98 m or 322 ft), has a peculiar and characteristic mushroom-like shape. It stands out in the city skyline, made of domes, buildings and other towers. Its structure recalls the Lombard tradition, made of medieval fortresses and towers, each having a massive profile. In such fortresses, the lower parts were always narrower, while the higher parts were propped up by wood or stone beams. As a consequence, the shape of this building is the result of a modern interpretation of the typical medieval Italian castle.[4] At the same time, BBPR in this building satisfied the functional needs of space: narrower surfaces on the ground, wider and more spacious ones on the top floors. The town planning laws, then, imposed specific volumes (depending on the buildings' purpose); in this tower, the latter were the mixed functions of residential and commercial use.
The tower is located in the city centre of Milan, near the Duomo (Milan Cathedral) and the headquarters of the University of Milan, between the streets corso di Porta Romana and via Larga. One of the exits of the Missori metro station, on line 3, is located right in front of it.
In 2011, the tower was placed under protection as a historic building.[1]
Gallery
Details of the scaffolds and armor of the concrete during construction in 1956
The tower during construction, seen from the Duomo of Milan
The tower during construction, seen from the Duomo of Milan
The tower seen from below
Upper floors
The Torre Velasca photographed by Paolo Monti in 1973
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