Pier Luigi Nervi was an Italian engineer and architect known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete. Some of his notable achievements include inventing ferrocement in 1946 and patenting prefabricated reinforced concrete construction techniques. Throughout his career, Nervi designed many landmark structures using ribbing and vaulting to create aesthetically pleasing designs with structural strength. Examples include the Palazzetto dello Sport dome in Rome and the Turin Exhibition Building barrel vault, both made of precast concrete elements. Nervi's designs demonstrated how engineering and architecture could be seamlessly combined.
Pier Luigi Nervi was an Italian engineer and architect known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete. Some of his notable achievements include inventing ferrocement in 1946 and patenting prefabricated reinforced concrete construction techniques. Throughout his career, Nervi designed many landmark structures using ribbing and vaulting to create aesthetically pleasing designs with structural strength. Examples include the Palazzetto dello Sport dome in Rome and the Turin Exhibition Building barrel vault, both made of precast concrete elements. Nervi's designs demonstrated how engineering and architecture could be seamlessly combined.
Pier Luigi Nervi was an Italian engineer and architect known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete. Some of his notable achievements include inventing ferrocement in 1946 and patenting prefabricated reinforced concrete construction techniques. Throughout his career, Nervi designed many landmark structures using ribbing and vaulting to create aesthetically pleasing designs with structural strength. Examples include the Palazzetto dello Sport dome in Rome and the Turin Exhibition Building barrel vault, both made of precast concrete elements. Nervi's designs demonstrated how engineering and architecture could be seamlessly combined.
Pier Luigi Nervi was an Italian engineer and architect known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete. Some of his notable achievements include inventing ferrocement in 1946 and patenting prefabricated reinforced concrete construction techniques. Throughout his career, Nervi designed many landmark structures using ribbing and vaulting to create aesthetically pleasing designs with structural strength. Examples include the Palazzetto dello Sport dome in Rome and the Turin Exhibition Building barrel vault, both made of precast concrete elements. Nervi's designs demonstrated how engineering and architecture could be seamlessly combined.
Biography 1913 Graduates from the engineering department at the University of Bologna
1920 Founds construction firm in Rome
1939 Patent on construction of aircraft hangers from prefabricated reinforced concrete sections
1943 Patent on vaults of 300 meter span constructed from prefabricated reinforced concrete sections
1946 Invents 'Ferrocement' Nervi believed that architecture and engineering were two connected parts of a whole. He borrowed from both Roman & Renaissance architecture to create aesthetically pleasing structures, yet he applied structural aspects such as ribbing and vaulting. He did a lot of experimentation with R.C.C. to create structures of “ strength, simplicity and grace .” He became internationally renowned for his invention of “ferrocement” Turin Exhibition Building Principles: Improvement of structural strength and elimination of columns achieved through ribbing and vaulting.
Use of simple geometry .
Use of sophisticated prefabrication.
Turin Exhibition Building
Projects - • Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence (1931) • Exhibition Building, in Turin, Italy, (1949). • UNESCO headquarters in Paris (1950) (collaborating with Marcel Breuer and others) • Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome, Italy (1958) • Olympic Stadium in Rome (1960) • Palazzo del Lavoro, in Turin (1961) • Paper Mill in Mantua, Italy, (1962) • George Washington Bridge Bus Station in New York City (1963) • Tour de la Bourse in Montreal (1964) • Field House at Dartmouth College • Thompson Ice Arena at Dartmouth College • Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco, California (1967) (collaborating with Pietro Belluschi) • Good Hope Centre in Cape Town (1976) by Studio Nervi, • Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, VA (1973) Palazzetto dello Sport Rome (1958) Palazzetto dello Sport Rome (Little sports palace)
Built : 1956-1957
Location :Rome ,Italy
Function : Stadium / Arena
Part of : Olympic summer games 1960
Structural type : Ribbed dome
Ribbed dome Ribbon windows Prefabricated panels
Y - columns SECTION
Built for the 1960 Olympics, the
palazzetto is a modest sports stadium in an innovative concrete dome.
PLAN Prefabricated polygonal panels
Steel reinforcement
Its shallow calotte shell is
composed of 1628 polygonal prefabricated parts which form a textured diamond pattern from the inside,created by the webs in which the connecting steel reinforcements were laid. The progression of the ribs is organic in effect and it does not follow the actual line of force .
F F Therefore the development of the rim of the dome was particularly important.The unequal load which is getting transferred on the rim of the dome may cause substantial static problems. Therefore Nervi found a new solution. Triangular concrete elements transfer the load to sloping piers angled exact direction of the force.
Concrete surface of the roof is continued
to form an undulating border thus the roof skin is drawn optically lower . Exterior view showing the “Y” column
View through the ribbon
window of the “Y” column Load transfer
Force diagram Saint Mary's Cathedral, San Francisco Built : 1971
Location : San Francisco , California
Function : Cathedral
Structural type : Reinforced concrete
Style : Structural Expressionist Modern When this cathedral was built ,the design of this ultra-modern structure was compared to the agitating element in a washing machine, because of the roof profile.
The roof is of „ anticlastic‟ type
The building may look a bit odd externally but The interiors are sleek, and grand.
It seats 2,400 people in a semi-
circle around the altar. The central dome soars 15 stories into the air and is 35 m supported by buttresses incorporated into the four corners of the building
The corner walls beyond the
buttresses are floor-to-ceiling plate glass. Exhibition Building, Turin Palazzo per esposizioni salone (1947) Turin Exhibition Hall
Built : 1947 - 1949
Location :Turin, Italy Function : Fair or trade building Structural type : Barrel shell or vault ribbed Area 240 ft
309 ft. corrugated pre-cast units Windows are arranged in the corrugated units
in situ concrete abutments
• The vaulted construction of the
hall consists of prefabricated elements which spring from in situ concrete abutments The prefabricated units are of “ferro-cement”
Corrugated precast parts
length approx - 15 ft width approx - 8 ft 3 inches. thickness is less than 2 inches.
This small thickness is
achieved only by the increased rigidity through the corrugation and the transverse webs at either Corrugated end. prefabricated parts The individual units are joined by in situ concrete. Thank you !
