Pier Luigi Nervi (21 June 1891 – 9 January 1979) was an Italian engineer and architect. He studied at the University of Bologna graduating in 1913. Nervi taught as a professor of engineering at Rome University from 1946 to 1961 and is known worldwide as a structural engineer and architect and for his innovative use of reinforced concrete, especially with numerous notable thin shell structures worldwide.
Nervi was born in Sondrio and attended the Civil Engineering School of Bologna from which he graduated in 1913; his formal education was quite similar to that experienced today by Italian civil engineering students. After graduating he joined the Society for Concrete Construction and, during World War I from 1915 to 1918, he served in the Corps of Engineering of the Italian Army. From 1961 to 1962 he was the Norton professor at Harvard University.
Civil engineering worksedit
Nervi began practicing civil engineering after 1923. His projects in the 1930s included several airplane hangars that were important for his development as an engineer. A set of hangars in Orvieto (1935) were built entirely out of reinforced concrete, and a second set in Orbetello and Torre del Lago (1939) improved the design by using a lighter roof, precast ribs, and a modular construction method.[1]
During the 1940s he developed ideas for reinforced concrete which helped in the rebuilding of many buildings and factories throughout Western Europe, and even designed and created a boat hull that was made of reinforced concrete as a promotion for the Italian government.
Nervi also stressed that intuition should be used as much as mathematics in design, especially with thin shell structures.[citation needed] He borrowed from both Roman and Renaissance architecture while applying ribbing and vaulting to improve strength and eliminate columns. He combined simple geometry and prefabrication to innovate design solutions.
Engineer and architectedit
Nervi was educated and practised as an ingegnere edile (translated as "building engineer") – in Italy. At the time (and to a lesser degree also today), a building engineer might also be considered an architect. After 1932, his aesthetically pleasing designs were used for major projects. This was due to the booming number of construction projects at the time which used concrete and steel in Europe and the architecture aspect took a step back to the potential of engineering. Nervi successfully made reinforced concrete the main structural material of the day. Nervi expounded his ideas on building in four books (see below) and many learned papers.
Most of his built structures are in his native Italy, but he also worked on projects abroad. Nervi's first project in the United States was the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, for which he designed the roof, which consists of triangular pieces that were cast in place. This building is still used today by over 700 buses and their passengers.
Australian Embassy, Paris (1973) Consulting engineer. Architect. Harry Seidler & Associates
Good Hope Centre, Cape Town (1976) by Studio Nervi, an exhibition hall and conference centre, with the exhibition hall comprising an arch with tie-beam on each of the four vertical facades and two diagonal arches supporting two intersecting barrel-like roofs which in turn were constructed from pre-cast concrete triangular coffers with in-situ concrete beams on the edges.
^Leslie, Thomas (3 January 2014). "nervi hangars". architecturefarm. from the original on 2014-01-29. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
^Six Nations 2011: Stadio Flaminio dig to reveal Roman 'City of the Dead' at guardian.co.uk
^"Pier Luigi Nervi". Olympedia. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
^ Republished with critical and historical essays as: Nervi, Pier Luigi (2018). Aesthetics and technology in building : the twenty-first-century edition. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pier Luigi Nervi.
pier, luigi, nervi, june, 1891, january, 1979, italian, engineer, architect, studied, university, bologna, graduating, 1913, nervi, taught, professor, engineering, rome, university, from, 1946, 1961, known, worldwide, structural, engineer, architect, innovativ. Pier Luigi Nervi 21 June 1891 9 January 1979 was an Italian engineer and architect He studied at the University of Bologna graduating in 1913 Nervi taught as a professor of engineering at Rome University from 1946 to 1961 and is known worldwide as a structural engineer and architect and for his innovative use of reinforced concrete especially with numerous notable thin shell structures worldwide Pier Luigi NerviPier Luigi NerviBorn 1891 06 21 21 June 1891Sondrio ItalyDied9 January 1979 1979 01 09 aged 87 Rome ItalyEducationUniversity of BolognaOccupationEngineerEngineering careerDisciplineStructural engineer architectInstitutionsSociety for Concrete ConstructionInstitution of Structural EngineersProjectsOlympic Stadium in Rome 1960 UNESCO headquarters in Paris 1950 Hangar in Orvieto 1935 AwardsIStructE Gold MedalWilhelm Exner Medal 1957 AIA Gold Medal 1964 Contents 1 Biography 2 Civil engineering works 3 Engineer and architect 4 International projects 5 Noted works 6 Awards 7 Publications 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksBiography editNervi was born in Sondrio and attended the Civil Engineering School of Bologna from which he graduated in 1913 his formal education was quite similar to that experienced today by Italian civil engineering students After graduating he joined the Society for Concrete Construction and during World War I from 1915 to 1918 he served in the Corps of Engineering of the Italian Army From 1961 to 1962 he was the Norton professor at Harvard University Civil engineering works editNervi began practicing civil engineering after 1923 His projects in the 1930s included several airplane hangars that were important for his development as an engineer A set of hangars in Orvieto 1935 were built entirely out of reinforced concrete and a second set in Orbetello and Torre del Lago 1939 improved the design by using a lighter roof precast ribs and a modular construction method 1 During the 1940s he developed ideas for reinforced concrete which helped in the rebuilding of many buildings and factories throughout Western Europe and even designed and created a boat hull that was made of reinforced concrete as a promotion for the Italian government Nervi also stressed that intuition should be used as much as mathematics in design especially with thin shell structures citation needed He borrowed from both Roman and Renaissance architecture while applying ribbing and vaulting to improve strength and eliminate columns He combined simple geometry and prefabrication to innovate design solutions Engineer and architect editNervi was educated and practised as an ingegnere edile translated as building engineer in Italy At the time and to a lesser degree also today a building engineer might also be considered an architect After 1932 his aesthetically pleasing designs were used for major projects This was due to the booming number of construction projects at the time which used concrete and steel in Europe and the architecture aspect took a step back to the potential of engineering Nervi successfully made reinforced concrete the main structural material of the day Nervi expounded his ideas on building in four books see below and many learned papers Archeological excavations suggested that he may have some responsibilities for the Flaminio stadium foundations passing through ancient Roman tombs 2 His work was also part of the architecture event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics 3 International projects editMost of his built structures are in his native Italy but he also worked on projects abroad Nervi s first project in the United States was the George Washington Bridge Bus Station for which he designed the roof which consists of triangular pieces that were cast in place This building is still used today by over 700 buses and their passengers Noted works edit nbsp The Tour de la Bourse in Montreal 1964 Stadio Artemio Franchi Florence 1931 Ugolino Golf House Impruneta Italy 1934 collaborating with Gherardo Bosio Torino Esposizioni Turin Italy 1949 UNESCO headquarters Paris 1950 collaborating with Marcel Breuer and Bernard Zehrfuss The Pirelli Tower Milan 1950 collaborating with Gio Ponti Palazzo dello sport EUR now PalaLottomatica Rome 1956 Palazzetto dello sport Rome 1958 Stadio Flaminio Rome 1957 Palazzo del Lavoro it Turin 1961 Palazzetto dello sport Turin 1961 Australia Square tower building Sydney 1961 1967 Sacro Cuore Bell Tower Firenze 1962 Paper Mill Mantua Italy 1962 George Washington Bridge Bus Station New York City 1963 Australia Square tower Sydney 1964 Architect Harry Seidler amp Associates Tour de la Bourse Montreal 1964 collaborating with Luigi Moretti Leverone Field House at Dartmouth College Sede Centrale della Banca del Monte di Parma Parma 1968 collaboration with Giovanni Ponti Antonio Fornaroli and Alberto Rosselli Edmund Barton Building also published as Trade Group Offices Canberra 1970 Australia Architect Harry Seidler amp Associates MLC Centre Sydney 1973 Architect Harry Seidler amp Associates Thompson Arena at Dartmouth College 1973 1974 Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption San Francisco California 1967 collaborating with Pietro Belluschi Paul VI Audience Hall Vatican City 1971 Chrysler Hall amp Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk Virginia 1971 Australian Embassy Paris 1973 Consulting engineer Architect Harry Seidler amp Associates Good Hope Centre Cape Town 1976 by Studio Nervi an exhibition hall and conference centre with the exhibition hall comprising an arch with tie beam on each of the four vertical facades and two diagonal arches supporting two intersecting barrel like roofs which in turn were constructed from pre cast concrete triangular coffers with in situ concrete beams on the edges nbsp Pirelli Tower nbsp Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption nbsp Norfolk Scope nbsp George Washington Bridge Bus StationAwards editPier Luigi Nervi was awarded Gold Medals by the Institution of Structural Engineers in the UK the American Institute of Architects AIA Gold Medal 1964 and the RIBA In 1957 received the Frank P Brown Medal of The Franklin Institute and the Wilhelm Exner Medal Publications editScienza o arte del costruire Bussola Rome 1945 Costruire correttamente Hoepli Milan 1954 Structures Dodge New York 1958 Aesthetics and Technology in Building The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures 1961 62 Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 1965 4 See also editThin shell structureReferences edit Leslie Thomas 3 January 2014 nervi hangars architecturefarm Archived from the original on 2014 01 29 Retrieved 4 October 2017 Six Nations 2011 Stadio Flaminio dig to reveal Roman City of the Dead at guardian co uk Pier Luigi Nervi Olympedia Retrieved 11 August 2020 Republished with critical and historical essays as Nervi Pier Luigi 2018 Aesthetics and technology in building the twenty first century edition Urbana University of Illinois Press External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pier Luigi Nervi Works by or about Pier Luigi Nervi at Internet Archive Pier Luigi Nervi at Structurae Ing Nervi Pier Luigi Fascismo Architettura Arte Arte fascista web site Pierluigi Nervi e l arte di costruire Fausto Giovannardi Borgo San Lorenzo Florence Italy 2008 NerViLab at Sapienza University Rome Pier Luigi Nervi Project http www silvanaeditoriale it catalogo prodotto asp id 3015 catalogue to the international travelling exhibition Pier Luigi Nervi Architecture as Challenge edited by Cristiana Chiorino and Carlo Olmo Milan 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pier Luigi Nervi amp oldid 1152510074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
