BBPR was an architectural partnership founded in

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in 1932.

Partnership

The BBPR studio was formed in Milan in 1932 in a climate described by Giorgio Ciucci as “oscillating between differing and contrasting positions.” The name of the firm was an acronym derived from the first letter of each of the partners' family name: (1910–1945), (1909–2004), (1908–1976), and

Ernesto Nathan Rogers Ernesto Nathan Rogers (March 16, 1909 – November 7, 1969) was an Italian architect, writer and educator. Career Rogers was born in Trieste, then in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as a British citizen to an Ida Manni and Romeo Rogers, the latter ...

(1909–1969). Their contribution to the development of

Rationalism In philosophy, rationalism is the Epistemology, epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge" or "the position that reason has precedence over other ways of acquiring knowledge", often in contrast to ot ...

is evident not only in their architecture but in their involvement with MIAR and the journal Quadrante born as a rival to Casabella. Their work held general appeal and was also appreciated and promoted by Edoardo Persico and

Giuseppe Pagano Giuseppe Pagano (20 August 1896 – 22 April 1945) was an Italian architect, notable for his involvement in the movement of rationalist architecture in Italy up to the end of the Second World War. He designed exhibitions, furniture and interiors ...

Casabella ''Casabella'' is a monthly Italian architectural and product design magazine with a focus on modern, radical design and architecture. It includes interviews with the world's most prominent architects. History and profile Casabella was founded in ...

. Along with the editor Valentino Bompiani, the BBPR group is credited for the original idea for the Italian Civilisation building. The selection of the Guerrini-La Padula-Romano project was fraught with polemics since it is argued that their eulogy to the most Roman of architectural motif – the arch – is what won them first prize, a prize which some say deservedly belonged to the Milanese architects. Their adherence to Fascism was short-lived and they soon became members of the resistance: Banfi and Belgiojoso were imprisoned at the Mauthausen concentration camp where Banfi died and Rogers, being of Jewish descent, was forced into exile in Switzerland.The practice continued under the same name after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

despite the death of Banfi in Mauthausen

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

. The firm came to notice after World War II with the abstract design for the Monument to the Victims of Nazi Concentration Camps, erected within the

Cimitero Monumentale di Milano The Cimitero Monumentale ( " Monumental Cemetery") is one of the two largest cemeteries in Milan, Italy, the other one being the Cimitero Maggiore. It is noted for the abundance of artistic tombs and monuments. Designed by the architect Carlo ...

. Located in the centre of an open plaza, its white, tubular frame encloses a glass cube that holds a mess tin containing blood-soaked earth from the

Mauthausen-Gusen Mauthausen was a German Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen, Upper Austria, Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with List of subcamps of Mauthausen, nearly 100 f ...

concentration camp in Austria. Panels of black and white marble bear inscriptions about martyrdom and persecution, justice and freedom. Around the Monument, a series of tombstone-shaped plaques show an alphabetical list of names of Milanesi who died in concentration camps. BBPR reacted against the polemic of the

International Style The International Style is a major architectural style and movement that began in western Europe in the 1920s and dominated modern architecture until the 1970s. It is defined by strict adherence to Functionalism (architecture), functional and Fo ...

in 1954, with the creation of the

Torre Velasca The ("Velasca Tower") is a skyscraper built in the 1950s by the BBPR architectural partnership, in Milan, Italy. The tower is part of the first generation of Italian modern architecture, while still being part of the Milanese context in which it ...

in Milan, complete with its abstract medieval references. The tower responds to its prominent location near the

Milan Cathedral Milan Cathedral ( ; ), or Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary (), is the cathedral church of Milan, Lombardy, Italy. Dedicated to the Nativity of Mary, Nativity of St. Mary (), it is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdi ...

in the city's historic centre. The firm was subsequently employed to create new interior spaces and exhibition designs for the museums housed within Milan's

Castello Sforzesco The Sforza Castle ( ; ) is a medieval fortification located in Milan, northern Italy. It was built in the 15th century by Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan, on the remnants of a 14th-century fortification. Later renovated and enlarged, in the 1 ...

, which had been severely damaged by allied bombing in 1943.

Buildings and projects

*1933 – House of Saturday for the newlyweds at the V

Triennale di Milano The Triennale di Milano is a museum of art and design in the Parco Sempione in Milan, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is housed in the , built between 1931 and 1933 to designs by Giovanni Muzio and financed by Antonio Bernocchi and his ...

(with Piero Portaluppi; – demolished) *1934 – Various rooms at the Italian Aeronautical Exhibition. *1935 – Building for homes and offices owned by Feltrinelli *1935 – Hall of tennis and Hall of motoring at the National Sport Exhibition *1937 – Rice deposits and nursery school in the province of

Vercelli Vercelli (; ) is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around 600 BC. ...

*1938 – Eliotherapy colony,

Legnano Legnano (; or ''Lignàn'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan, province of Milan, about from central Milan. With 60,259, it is the thirteenth-most populous township in Lombardy. Legnano is located in the ...

*1938 – Town planning and study of the pavilions for the new Trade Fair, Milan (project) *1939–1941 – Palazzo delle Poste at E42, via Ludwig Beethoven,

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

*1945 – Milan City Plan, known as AR *1948 – Perego-owned residential and office building, Milan *1951 – INA-Casa district in Cesate, Milan *1954 – Exhibition hall for

Olivetti Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, tablets, smartphones, printers and other such business products as calculators and fax machines. Headquartered in Ivrea, in the Metropolitan City of Turin, the company has been owned b ...

Fifth Avenue, New York Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The section in Midtown Manhattan is one of the most expe ...

*1954 – Pavilion The children's labyrinth at the 10th Milan Triennale (demolished) *1956 – Restoration and refurbishment of the Sforzesco Castle, Milan *1958 –

in Piazza Velasca, Milan – (IN / ARCH Award for a completed work – 1961 *1959 – Office and residential building between Piazza Statuto and Corso Francia,

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

*1960 – E. Ritter house in Stintino *1961 – Velarca, the 19-meter boat house anchored along the western shore of

Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...

*1963 – Residential building in via Vigna, Milan *1964 – Hispano-Olivetti building in Ronda de la Universidad,

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

*1964 – Piezometric tower in via Morane,

Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. A town, and seat of an archbis ...

*1965 – Headquarters of the Italian Commercial Bank (today Banca Intesa), via Mariano Stabile,

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

*1967 – Case Andreatta in Pinzolo *1968 –

New India Assurance The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. (''NIACL'') is an Indian Public Sector Undertakings in India, public sector insurance company owned by the Government of India and administered by the Ministry of Finance (India), Ministry of Finance. Headquart ...

residential and tertiary building in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

*1969 – Headquarters of the

Giornale di Sicilia ''Giornale di Sicilia'' is an Italian national daily newspaper for the island of Sicily. It is based in Palermo, and is the best-selling newspaper in Sicily. Since 2017, it is owned by the daily newspaper of Messina, '' Gazzetta del Sud''. Histo ...

, via Lincoln, Palermo *1969 – Office building (Chase Manhattan Bank) in Piazza Meda in Milan *1970 – Hotel in Capoliveri, Elba Island *1970 – Building between

corso Buenos Aires Corso Buenos Aires is a major street in north-eastern Milan, Italy. With over 350 shops and outlets, it features the highest concentration of clothing stores in Europe. The architecture of the area is mostly late 19th- and 20th-century style; the ...

, via Piccinni and via Monteverdi, Milan *1971 – Cinema Mediolanum in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Milan *1973 – Museum-monument to the political and racial deportee in the Castello dei Pio, Carpi *1974 – Palazzo Amoroso, Santo Spirito square, Palermo *1975 –

University of Calabria The University of Calabria () is a state-run university in Italy. Located in Arcavacata, a hamlet of Rende and a suburb of Cosenza, the university was founded in 1972. Among its founders there were Beniamino Andreatta, Giorgio Gagliani, Pietr ...

in Arcavacata *1978 – Shopping center in

Riyadh Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...

, Saudi Arabia *1980 – Hotel and party hall in the Casino of St. Vincent *1981 – Residential and office buildings in piazza Maciachini, in via Fetonte, in S. Siro, Milan and Bruzzano *1983 – Building for a chemical-pharmaceutical industry in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

*1987 – S. Bortolo Hospital 5th lot,

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; or , archaically ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, where it straddles the Bacchiglione, River Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and e ...

*1988 – Restoration of Villa Castiglioni in

Magenta Magenta () is a purple-red color. On color wheels of the RGB color model, RGB (additive) and subtractive color, CMY (subtractive) color models, it is located precisely midway between blue and red. It is one of the four colors of ink used in colo ...

*1989 – Chemical-pharmaceutical complex,

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

*1990 – ATM headquarters in via Monte Rosa in Milan *1991 – Renovation plan of the Old City of Kuwait *1994 – Complex for the University of Studies in the Annunziata area,

Messina Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...

*1994 – Restoration of the Palazzo Reale as the seat of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Milan

Gallery

File:Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Milano, 1963) - BEIC 6360403.jpg, Interiors of Mayer Palace File:Torre Velasca.jpg, Torre Velasca in Milan, 1958 File:Milano - edificio Chase Manhattan Bank.JPG, Chase Manhattan Bank building, 1969 File:Cesate - Villaggio INA - edifici 82-83.jpg, INA Village in Cesate, 1954

Publications

* Fiori Leonardo, Pizzon Massimo (a cura di): ''B.B.P.R. La Torre Velasca'', Abitare Segesta, 1982. * Piva Antonio (a cura di): ''B.B.P.R. a Milano'', Electa, 1982. * Società generale immobiliare: ''Torre Velasca, 26 piani, 800 locali'', Società generale immobiliare, 1958. * Brunetti F.: ''La Torre Velasca a Milano'', Alinea, 1999. * Rogers E. N.: ''Il senso della storia'', Unicopli, 1999. * Marcello, Flavia, "Problems of Abstraction. BBPR’s Monument to the Fallen in Concentration Camps, Milan (1946, 1950, 1955)” in K. B. Jones and S. Pilat (eds.) The Routledge companion to Italian Fascist architecture : reception and legacy. Routledge, New York, 2020, 491–506.

Partnership

Buildings and projects

Gallery

Publications

References

Further reading