Sunday, January 14, 2007

Genova Telephone Swithboard Complex




















On the outskirts of Genova to the west of the city lies an area with a distinctive line of where developent ends and begins. The roads following the coast curve through with parallel buildings but the buildings no longer have a pre 18th century look as they're now much more minimalistic and depressing in comparison. As the development ends a particular pair of buildings stand out among the sudden vacant hills. The buildings contain some sort of telephone switchboards for the Genova region.

This location is where a group of us will do our studio project and it's our instructor, Stefano, who informed us that the architects were associates of Renzo Piano or Richard Rogers from the time the pair designed the Pompidou Center. I recognized the similarity via the color and exposed ductwork and moving parts. The building, though ugly, is fascinating and I believe it's in a style that can be known as British Constructivism. Although I have not found who the designers were I believe they are in some relation a part or remnant of a group known as
Archigram from around the 1960's.

Brian

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