Vittorio Mazzucconi - Architecture

B.1.4.6

FLORENTIA

THE DAWNING CITY
by
VITTORIO MAZZUCCONI

The Forum and the Flower

Florence 1970 - 85

Project for the new Centre of Florence

Side-view of the Flower seen from the Forum
above: Present View of the Republic Square

Side-view of the Flower seen from the Forum
above: Present View of the Republic Square

The small part of the OrsanMichele building, which stands over the nineteenth-century palace, is destined to expand in the project. The OrsanMichele will tower over the Arch, as well as Santa Croce, the Badia and the Bargello, just like the sweet cliffs do. If one benefits from a good sight, he can even see the reflex of Giotto's tower in the glassed side of the Arch…
Have we mentioned an Arch ? The mysterious building proposed by Mazzucconi in many of his projects (The
Halles,the Snow Arch, the Opera-Bastille, St-Germain-en-Laye, the project for Nancy, the new Agora for Athens…) is not a blind stand, but a spiritual archetype that springs up when the architect is not even thinking about it. A form knocks at the door of consciousness, as an expression of the "Protagonist", the Divine, the Self that assumes the name and the features

click to see three large details of the perspective
litograph also on sale in our Bookshop

of the ancient city's soul. In the Flower's case, the building's genesis was based on a series of octagons that grew as the spiral went round. It would seem to have little in common with the Arch and yet a quick glance to its side will revealthe fatal form, bearer (here and always) of the treasures of civilisation as well as the very identity of the city.
In the drawing, it is possible to see the stone pavement and some remains of the old Forum and, just above, a reinforced concrete walkway which materialises the old Carduus and Decumanus, which the students can use to get to the open-air square. The latter is slightlyunpotted and concave, like the Campo of Siena. The ancient Etruscan soul (alive in both cities) is at work!