The rhetoric of Pier Luigi Nervi. Concrete and ferrocement forms

During his long career, Pier Luigi Nervi has explored the potential of concrete through the cast-in-place and the prefabrication of elements in reinforced concrete or in ferrocement, a material he invented and patented during the war. All of his best known works such as the Stadium in Florence, the hangars built in Orivieto, Orbetello and Torre del Lago Puccini, the Halls of the Palazzo di Torino Esposizioni in Turin, the Unesco buildings in Paris, the Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome and the Aula per le Udienze in the Vatican represent an important chapter in the history of twentieth century architecture, structure and construction. Nervi’s passion for concrete and formwork manufacturing process is examined in a systematic manner within the volume. The authors illustrate Nervi’s creative process through the examination of unpublished designs, drawings, specifications, building sites pictures and correspondence with colleagues and collaborators.