Part of the Ad Esempio series, this volume explores the link between architect Giovanni Michelucci (1891-1990) and the Contrada of Valdimontone in Siena. Michelucci began renovating the museum in the San Leonardo complex in Valdimontone in the mid-seventies and was subsequently commissioned to design a new building for the same Contrada next to the oratory of the Santissima Trinità, although both projects were destined to be completed after his death by his assistant Bruno Sacchi.
His Contrada of Valdimontone works are emblematic of the vitality of this architect’s very individual style, notably free from the constraints governing traditional forms of expression and focused on creating complex constructions whose functions and spaces integrate perfectly into the city.
The Contrada of Valdimontone building in Siena is a fine example of Michelucci’s architecture and his vision of urban design: the buildings blend seamlessly into the cityscape, the plans were based on collaborative input from the community, and the design phase was hallmarked by an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders.
This book, published partly thanks to the impetus provided by the Contrada of Valdimontone itself, also marks the 20th anniversary of the completion of their headquarters. It represents an in-depth study, researched and written with rigour and passion, into how this still thriving hub of community life was built, its architecture and how it fits into the urban framework of the district.
Curated by Roberto Dulio, with essays by Corrado Marcetti, Gabriele Maccianti and Riccardo Butini, the book also features a series of original architect’s impressions, blueprints and photographs by Paola De Pietri and Andrea Lensini.