Material: acciaio zincato verniciato con trattamento anti corrosione
Designer: APML Architetti_ Arch. Alessandro Pedron + Arch. Luca Vergombello
Photo: Francesca Occhi

The Jewel of the post-war architecture, the Rio Novo building, formerly Headquarter of Sade and Enel, is, since 2002, the new headquarter of Fondazione Venezia. Created between 1952 and 1961, the building highlights crucial aspects of the history of Venice in the post-WWII period, during which the city felt the need to align itself with operational criteria and formal ambitions of other Italian and foreign metropolitan areas. The involvement in the project of Lombard architects such as Luigi Vietti and Cesare Pea explains the austere originality of the building, unique in the Venetian landscape for the dimensions and articulation of the glass and cement fronts, initially conceived with all visible construction materials. The important intervention of replacing all the doors and windows in 2016 has enabled the building to be redeveloped from an energetic, acoustic and functional point of view, while maintaining the façade and the distinctive features of the building. The old pivotal iron frames have been replaced by overhanging fixtures with motorized openings integrated with domotic automation systems to make the various spaces even more functional. The use of Mogs 65 profiles with a thickness of 20/10 proved to be an essential choice considering the large dimensions of the full height openings. For the offices and meeting rooms overlooking Rio Novo, sound-absorbing glass was used to ensure perfect soundproofing from the noises of water traffic and ensure maximum interior comfort.

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