Architectural references and citations of visual culture are embedded in the form, materiality, and ornamentation of a structure.

This precast concrete column fragment  from the Pirelli Learning Centre built in Milan (Italy) in 2020 is a case in point. The physicality of the column has created a strong reference to the between-war Italian architecture culture. Its material form speaks to the innovation in construction techniques that characterised the period, while its ornamentation echoes that of the neighbouring Bicocca degli Arcimboldi villa; illuminates the company’s history as well as the common culture through a series of abstract tire thread advertising graphics imprinted on the columns and façade elements.

This object will be presented at the TACK Conference in the object session SHAPERS, 21 June 2023 between 14:30 – 15:45 (CEST) at ETH Zürich (Auditorium HPV G5).

Onsitestudio, a Milan-based architectural studio founded in 2006 by Angelo Lunati and Giancarlo Floridi, values the bond between culture and professional practice. Recent works include a public library BEIC, Mapei football centre, Hotel Le Palace in Brussels, and Pirelli learning centre. Onsitestudio is part of the Tacit Knowledge Community as a non-academic partner.