#carlo celli

[oliverpetrus]

Trieste 2018 ©  Oliver Petrus

[oliverpetrus]

The district of Rozzol Melara is known for the building that was build from 1969 to 1982 by Italian Architects Carlo and Luciano Celli and Dario Tognon inspired by the idea „Unité d’Habitation“ of Le Corbusier. The building cosists of two „L“ shaped structures that form the name giving square. Il Quadrilatero includes 468 apartments for approximately 2500 citizens. Between 1979 and 1981 primary young couples moved in. The idea was to create a building that is a city itself, independent like a cruise ship. Later residents began to call the building „Alcaraz“. Back then all basic facilities were there, a post office, nursery, all kinds of shops (partially still exist today), a school. There is an amphitheatre in the inner court yard. When you explore the structure of the building walking through the hallways you can imagine that it became a run-down and sordid place throu vandalism and crime during the 90s. Films like Total Recall or Bladerunner come to mind. Since the millennium though, a lot of voluntary and social work has happened , in 2002 a  competition for renovation was advertised. I couldn’t find out what the exact conclusion was but it just feels right when you take a look at the architecture, the sheer concrete of Il Quadrilatero. It is a wonderful structure that should be renovated and taken to modern purpose.

[oliverpetrus]

IL QUADRILATERO

Leaving  the sea behind, the medeteranian vegetation  replaces the urban surfaces of Trieste. Up the hills, suburban single and double housing blocks spread left and right the road. You feel a sense of privacy when standing on the balcony, looking down into your little garden where apple and fig trees stand and green forests covering the hills around you. It is not necessarily an area for the rich. Young families live here, sometimes two families share a house. From the balcony you can look at the sea behind Trieste and school busses go down to town every morning and in the afternoon. Looking up the green hills, you see a weirdly situated building complex. Otherworldly like a spaceship in size and apperance it seems as if the building has just touched the ground on the ridge of a hill. Here, just four kilometers outside of Trieste. The social housing complex „Il Quadilatero“ or „ATER“ (after the housing association - Azienda Territoriale per l’Edilizia Residenziale).