323 21 9MB
English Pages 162 Year 1957
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CHRISTOPHER
JOHN CHAMAliS
ARCHIIEa CITY PLANNER SOUTH LA SALLE STREET CHICAGO J, ILLINOIS )I
?o
June
'S*
The Works
of Pier Luigi Nervi
.
/
Digitized by the Internet Archive in
LYRASIS
2011 with funding from
IVIembers and Sloan Foundation
http://www.archive.org/details/worksofpierluigiOOnerv
The Works of Pier Luigi Nervi
Preface by Pier Luigi Nervi
•
Introduction by Ernesto N. Rogers
Explanatory notes to illustrations by Jurgen Joedicke
Translation by Ernst Priefert
CHRISTOPHER JOHN CHAAAALES CITY PLANNER SOUTH LA SALLE STREET CHICAGO 3, ILLINOIS
ARCHITECT
11
3^
Frederick A. Praeger
New
York
joue i9»S
BOOKS THAT MATTER
Published
in the United States of America by Frederick A. Praeger, Inc., Publishers.
15
West 47th
Street,
in
1957
New
York 36, N. Y. All rights reserved by Verlag Gerd Hat/e
Ubrary of Congress Catalog Card Number: 57-9676 Printed in
Germany
Contents
Preface by Pier Luigi Nervi
vi
Introduction by -Ernesto N, Rogers
ix
Illustrations
Cinema "AugusteoH, Naples The Municipal Stadium of Florence Design Design Design Design Design
'
for for
hangar for a revolving house Prefabricated house for a circular
Storage tanks for crude
18 19
20 21
in steel
22 24 26
oil
A hangar Hangar Hangar
2
4
grand stand of a stadium in Rome, seating 100,000 a bridge across the Biedano Valley near Rome a circular hangar in reinforced concrete
for the
28
of pre-cast
concrete components
of prefabricated concrete components Sketch designs of Exhibition Pavilions for the World Fair at Rome Sketch design of a large hall in prefabricated reinforced concrete
34 36 44 units, clear
Design for a Station Hall of prefabricated components Reinforced Concrete Ship of 400 tons Storehouse in Rome Covered Swimming Pool of the Naval Academy of Leghorn Wharf Conte Trossi, San Michele di Pagana (Genoa) Sketch design of a hall with special shed construction for thermal insulation Design for a Station Hall in Palermo of prefabricated units of ;;
'
i
!
.iiiiiiiiiii
tilllliiiiiiM,,;:;'-,
^^^
~^«diii)li;!ii||
-r"
.''ilIBB
1
Elevation and section of pre-stressing
apparatus, 1
Shuttering
drum
concrete
of
2 Horizontal rubbertubes for building
up pressure 3 Connection between
warm water
pipes 4 Verticalhollowsectionsforthe
transmission of pressure 5 Pre-stressed core of
tlie
concrete
pipe 6 Outer skin I'/m incfies of fine aggre-
gate concrete with spiral reinforce-
ment 7
Lock
2 Sending of spiral reinforcement over a
wooden drum, 3 Detail of the pre-stressing apparatus.
The
horizontal rubber tubes for the
building up of pressure are visible.
the vertical hollow plates is
In
warm water
circulated to accelerate the setting
of the
cement,
4 Manufacture of pipes
in
the workshop.
5 Cross section through pipe, showing
method
J|/\
of
supporting.
6 Transportation of finished pipes. 7 Laying of pipes.
These pipes have a which they
projection on either side on
In this way bending moments caused by unequal loading are reduced toa minimum.
are supported.
8 Connection of two pipes. 1
Outer skin
2 Pre-stressed core
3 Mastic 4 Sheet metal 5
Cement mortar
Tobacco factory In
at
1949 a competition
Bologna - 1952 was held by the State Monopoly Administration
for the most economical design solution of a 5-storey factory measuring 700 :; 80 x 90 feet. Determined by technical as well as economical considerations is the construction of the two identical floor
slabs with an area of 260,000
sq.ft.
Nervi developed a special technique for this
job using shuttering boxes of :e.-Tij{^=s;^^
Section showing the different levels.
7
3
Plan at level 59.95 m. (196 feet) 1
Entrance for spectators
2
Entrance for athletes
3 Ascent to the main hall
LI IJJJJ"^'
m\
4
Showers and
5
Cloakrooms
WCs
(for
50 and for 2-6
people)
"
6 Training quarters
7-9
Rooms
for
massage, steam bath
and sauna 10
Changing room
11
Technical management and um-
for the choir
pires
12 Doctor
and
First
Aid
management
13 Central
room Practice room
14 Resting 15
for boxing, judo etc,
16 Training quarters
room for table tennis room for rowing 19 Practice room for gymnastics 20 Day room for 50 people 21 Practice room for fencing 17 Practice
18 Practice
EES
EIE^'jl^
22 Multi-purpose room 23 Running track 24 Kitchen with stores and servery 25 Restaurant 26
Gymnasium
27 External escape stairs
28 Stores 29 Practice field for hockey etc.
30 Hall 31
Box
for
gymnastics
offices
32 Ice rink 33 Rollerskatingrink 34 Parking space (at various levels)
9 Plan at level 63.20 m. (207
f(
H^:
6 inches)
...^^s^r
*T-^:
?
k»=^..
If-LLLLLLLLLLd
10 Plan at level 68.70 m. (225 feet 6 inches) 1
External escape stairs
2
Raised platform of practice hall
3
Access
to the
ramps
4 Gallery 5
Cloakrooms
6 Access to lavatories 7 Seating
accommodation room for 3,600
8 Standing
9 Cycling track 10 Running track 11
Access
to seating
12 Entrance for athletes 13 Administration
for 8.400
....
n
Section through east-west axis.
12 Gallery
belowthe seating,
13
Viewof the
interior of the
main
hall.
BB and CC through
14 Sections
pre-
cast units. 1
Pre-cast reinforced concrete
element 2
Duct openings
3
Window area
for the air-con-
ditioning
4 Prefabricated
pendent
beam
of the inde-
flat roof
concrete connection of the
5
In situ
6
Window area
7
In si'fu
pre-cast units
concrete
8 Acoustic treatment 9 Pre-cast roof units 10 Sheet aluminium for water-
proofing and thermal insulation
1?
15 Section through
AA
dome
with section
through concrete supports.
1
Mainductsof air-conditioning plant
2
Roof lights
3 Covering of sheet aluminium
5
The construction mentOM which
main
hall consists of
corrugated pre-cast units of «ferro-ce-
on inclined supports of reinforced concrete. At the junction
of
the
construction and pre-cast construction are the air-conditioning ducts through
in situ
which warmed units
of the
rest
air is circulated to
were planned
to
the duct openings
in
the units. The prefabricated
be similarto those of the great Exhibition Hall
are joined together by continuous bars
embedded
in
concrete.
In
in Turin.
The
units
contrast to the Turin
solution Nervi here had planned for a second roofing skin over the pre-cast units. In this
way
better thermal insulation
would have been obtained.
16 Placing of pre-cast units. 1
Tubularscaffolding
2 Centring forthe support of the units 3
tvletal rail for
4
A
placing the units
unit being placed in position
{maximum weight
2,650 lbs.)
17-19 Perspectives and plan of an external escape stair
ty
^^
The practice
hall for various activities adjoins
the north side of the large
Similar to the construction of the Congress Hall of the Nervi curves the roof to the line of compression effect
and
pendent
results in steel
flat roof of
economy
for the
I
Plan and section of structure.
22 Perspectiveof the practice hall.
domed
Building
in
hall.
Paris,
the beam, This gives a spacious It
necessitates, however, an inde-
pre-cast units to allov/ access to the roof.
20 View of the practice hal from the outside. 21
in
beams.
UNESCO
'- ..•jBBsagsggTissaagg^g.
siiia»«iaB 1
Map
of
2 Site plan.
neighbourhood.
1
Secretariat
2 Conference block 3 Executive
4 Foyer
UNESCO
Building
in
Paris - 1953/56
Architects: Marcel Breuer, Pier Luigi Nervi
The curved north side
of the
and Bernard
H. Zehrfuss
Y-shaped secretariat forms part
of the group of buildings around the Place Fontenoy. The south siJe opens towards a new square which is bordered by the projecting Conference Building. The outline of the main building forms an extremely clear-cut shape. Lifts, staircases and vertical services are in the core of this
Y-shaped block. The vestibule space diverges into corridors which lead to offices lifts and secondary stairs are at the ends of each wing.
on both sides. Further
The conference block
is
linked by a «clip» to the office building. This block contains the
architecturally interesting Conference
Room and
several session rooms.
committee
4 Photo ol model.
'S)
3 Plan of a typical floor. 1
Offices
2 Director Ger^eral 3 Vestibule 4
space
WCs
5 Stores
6 Gallery ot the foyer 7
Committee rooms
8 Cubicles for simultaneous interpretation
9
Room
for
Commissions' sessions
10 Press and public 11
Projection cfiamber
12 Accessgalleryforttielighting
13 Conference
tiall
The Secretariat
is
a reinforced concrete frame structure
in
wtiich
ttie
main supports are
inset from tlie face of the building.
The
condary beams. All services are
ducts above the central corridors. The beams taper
off
in
floors are carried by a series of
towards the outside where they carry the
5 Section through structure. 6 Plan of structure and ceiling.
brtse soleif of reinforced
main and
concrete.
se-
structure of ground floor.
ground
level in
supports
is
The upper structure
which the columns are raked
is
supported on a
rigid porta!
to give greater stability.
frame
The shape
at
of the
dictated by the geometric problem of transforming the elliptic section at the
base to the rectangular junction
v^ith
the ceiling. The plastic form thus evolved
is
the
characteristic element of a purely architectural treatment of reinforced concrete. 7
The supports
at
ground
floor level.
8 Sectional elevations (above) and tight
angles to the main fapade
plans (below) of one ground floor support: at
(left)
and parallel to
it
(right).
i
The ground centre
is
floor during construction.
the multiple
lift
shaft,
View
of the junction of the three wings, In the
10 staircase during construction.
11
Plan and section of stairs.
from a spine wall.
In
an unconventional manner the treads are
canti levered
IV
i;
-
i: I
AT
^
12
The canopies atthe entrances tothe Secretariat are of unusual design. The canopy of shown above still adheres to the conventional solution of a horizontal
the north side roof
on supports; but
designed
tor
I
II
III
it
columns.
Plan
Underside section E£ Section
IV Section
has an interesting pattern on the underside. The whole
rough concrete work leaving shuttering marks
are cast into the
BB CC
visible.
is
The down pipes
mos
13
The canopy
of the
south-west side shows an unprecedented solution,
metrically placed arch forms the support for a three-dimensional tilevering on both sides. I
II
III
Plan and section
The thickness
of
the slab
is 3'/i
ly
An asym-
curved slab can-
inches.
DD
Elevation
Section
AA
IV Vertical section
tB=3^
D-D
14 Plan of roof structure.
15
The
The Conference Building during
roof of the
which
is
Room an
Conference Building
erection.
is
a folded slab construction
stiffened by a central up-stand
extremely spacious solution
is
beam
in
reinforced concrete,
carried by six supports.
In
the Conference
achieved by raising the slab between the folds.
The roofing slab Is being utilised to full advantage by following the direction of the compression forces. The continuation of the folded slab structure around the gable walls provides the necessary lateral stiffeners for wind moments. There are few examples of modern architecture where such a convincing form has been achieved integrating architectural
and structural design.
16 Interiorof
Conference Room.
100
300 200
B
/vVW::
-
50
mto
17
^00
B
sAAAA>
The bending moment diagrams show the forces and the
direction of the stresses in
the structure. Above the Conference Room, as can be seen from the diagrams, considerable compressive stresses occur in the upper parts of the folded slabs.
here
is
raised to follow the line of compression, forces thus being
in
The slab
compression
throughout. 17 Bending
moment diagram.
18 Cross sections through the structure at 1
Zero
AA
and
B8
(see
moment
diagram).
line
2 Stressing zone 3 Tension zone 19 Deflection diagram of the structure under vertical loading, indicating compression
and tension zones. 1
Upper stressing zone
2 Central stressing zone 3 Lower stressing zone
20 Longitudinal section
120
21
+
22 The Conference Block during erection.
•'^^^\'^^\'^>»^*
.WC^~.i'^>,|^
24 Placing of folded slabs and laying of reinioiceftients.
23
A
centre support of the Conference Block
in tfie
course of erection.
25 The cladding of the folded slab construction.
26 The folded slab construction of the Conference Block during the finishing stages.
F
1
Longitudinal section showing method
6 Movable scaffolding for the casting
of construction, 1
of floor slabs
Shuttering about to be raised to
7 Prefabrication of girders for floor
its
position 11
10
2 Shuttering
!
position
in
Completed bay
of floor
3 Finished floor
C
B
9 Prefabricated girders erected
in
position
4 Prefabrication of girders for floor B
10
Movable scaffolding
11
Completed bay
5 Prefabricated girders erected in
for the casting
of floor slabs
position
of floor
C
2 The building (21iX) feet long) during erection.
Factory buildings for the Fiat
Works
The advantages
based on prefabricated reinforced concrete units are
of a construction
at Turin - 1955
is vary large, and when one can limit the number of These two conditions were present with this project to a high degree.
especially apparentvifhen the building different elements.
The
threa-story building has the unusual length of 2103 feet
and
a
width of 66
feet.
The
building had to be erected within fiva months. After allowing for time to install the site
equipment, only four months ware
left, This tima-limit was even improved on, as the was erected within 100 days. The construction is clearly explained through the diagram above. The shuttering for the ground floor slab consists of «ferro-cemento» (illustration 4). The shuttering rests on a travelling scaffold and can be lowered after striking and moved into the adjacent bay. There are two intermediate columns at basement level (Illustrations 3 and 6) but the
building
other two floors span across the complete width of the building. The ground floor
construction consists of pre-cast girders at 8
ft.
girders are constructed
in sifu
concrete while the upper floors are constructed of
2 in. centres with in
ifj
si/u
slabs (illustrations 7-10), The pre-cast
similarshuttering to the ground floor slab.
B
I
U.a.M
The shuttering for the ground floor slab mounted on movable scaffolding. 4 Section through ground floor slab showing the removable shuttering of "ferro3
cemento», 5 Section through the upper floor slab, showing the removable shuttering for the
construction of the 6
in silu
slab.
Diagram showing the placing
of the girders.
7
A
girder ready for casting. All shuttering
easy removal.
is
specially treated before each casting, for
3
Finished girder ready to be placed
in position.
The protruding bars are for the is so smooth as a
connection with the framing beam. The surface of the girder of the
f\r\e
in silu
result
aggregate concrete sfiuttering that any further treatment or rendering
unnecessary.
is
9 Hoisting a girder into
10 Underside of
first floor
girders,
The loads
differ
from
slab can carry a superimposed load of 200 !bs./sq.
100
lbs. /sq.ft.
and 50
lbs. /sq.ft. respectively.
floor to floor, ft.
The ground
floor
while the other floors carry
1
The model from the
east.
The theoretical investigations were helped by
tests
which
the «lstitutoSperimentaleModeliieStruttura» (Institute fortesting models and structures) conducted.
Office Building for Messrs. Pirelli in Milan - 1955/56 Designed by: Gio Ponti, Architect; Antonio Fornaroli, Engineer; Alberto Rossellr, Architect;
Giuseppe Valtolina, Engineer; Egidio dell'Orto, Engineer
Structural design: Arturo Danusso, Pier Luigi Nervi
The main problem which the erection of a tall slender structure poses is the provision of wind bracings, Two rectangular supports which branch out in the upper floors serve as cross bracings{see illustration 7 on page 131). The width of a supportin the basement is 6 feet 7 inches tapering to 12 inches at the top of the building.
The triangular end walls form lateral wind bracings to some extent but they are mainly for longitudinal stiffening.
A
curtain wall of 108,000 sq,
ft, is
across without intermediate supports,
rows
of pre-stressed reinforced
of 2 feet 6 inches.
attached to the structure. The floors span right i,
e.
79 feet. This unusual span
is
achieved by
concrete beams at 5 feet centres, which have a depth 128
1
2
Plans of structure at
1st, 15th,
3
and 30th
floors.lt is clearly visible
how
the area of the
on page 131), The triangular end walls hold the fire escape stairs, lifts, and the air-conditioning ducts. The internal corridors taper off towards the ends according to the diminishing amount of use; they are widest in the centre of the building where there is a group of six lifts on the north
load-bearing structure
The plan
side.
is
rational
in all
reduced
in
relation to height (see illustration 7
and functionally well thought
The subdivision
placed
is
of the
directions on a 3
rooms ft.
1
in.
is
extremely
x 3
ft.
1
in,
out.
flexible.
grid.
Movable
partitions
The plan shows one
possibilities for subdivision within the grid. 1
Lift hall
2
Small reception room
3 Large office 4 Small offices 5 Grid of 3 feet
1
inch x 3 feet
1
inch on which the partitions are based
6 Ladies' cloakroom 7
Gentlemen's cloakroom
8 Internal staircase 9 Vertical service ducts, air-conditioning ducts, escape stairs and 10 Balcony giving access to escape stairs and 1
Lifts for
the delivery of post
lift
lift
can be
of the
many
4 Plan of shuttering.
U
./'
16
5
Diagram
reinforcement (section and plan) of a post-tensioned beam.
of typical
In
beam has also ordinary mild steel the beam only. The post-tensioned
addition to the post-tensioned reinforcements the
bars which are dimensioned to take the weight of
reinforcements are put under stress after the removal tensioning serves
in
addition to increase Ihe
which has a clear span the
beam from
6'/;
of 79 feet,
Of special interest
is
of the shuttering.
at the
in
the
beam
Axis of symmetry
2 Pre-stressed bars
3 Openings for service ducts and pipes
support
The
of the
post-
beam
the variation of the width of
inches to 2 feet to cater for the variation
shear force. The openings 1
moments
in
bending moment and
are for service ducts and pipes.
6 Section between the centre supports. Access to the
The
visitors enter
+
level
3.60 {12 feet) above the car park (below are
seating600people).The
staff
down
to level
the help of a goods
(—24
through two
floors.
J^ ///
lift
—4.90 (—16
delivery
of
in
levels.
front of the station, at
workshops and an auditorium
The access road passes
parallel to
where there is a delivery entrance. With vans or even lorries can be taken down to level —7.55
feet 9 inches) to the service
upper
from three different
enters at the rear of the building at level +0.10(4 inches)
crossing the ramp of the access road by a bridge. the building
7 Section
lifts is
from the Piazza Duca d'Aosta, the square
feet}
rooms.
the centre supports which branch out and taper otT
in
the
Design for a bridge over the Tenza - 1955 Nervi's main consideration in this project
was
to
reduce
scaffolding as the height of the road crossing the bridge
The bridge is These can be erected consecutively with the same
to a
is
minimum
the necessary
164 feet above the valley.
supported by a series of reinforced concrete trestles at intervals of 164 feet.
The road structure The internal spans are simply supported with special connections to the cantilevered beams. They are hoisted into position with the help of winches attached to the trestles. The stiffness of the bridge is achieved through the stability of each individual trestle. The pre-cast scaffolding.
consists of main beams, with cantilevered ends, supported by the trestles.
beams are 1
carried on rollers
Elevation of bridge.
and thereby allow
for
any movement due
to settlement.
2 Horizontal section AA, cross section
concrete trestle.
BB and
longitudinal section
CC
of a reinforced
135
3
Diagram showing
typical reinforcement.
Design for the "Centre National des Industries et Techniques"
in
Paris -1955
Architects: Camelot, de Mailly, Zehrfuss
Engineer; Pier Luigi Nervi
Consulting engineer for the structural steelwork: Jean Prouv6
The great
Exhibition Hall of the projected Centre at the «Place de la
permanent as well as periodical
for
hall covering
exhibitions.
The whole
D6fense»
picture of the
hall. The sides
model shows the extraordinary boldness
are 738 feet
in length.
The height at the top
beams hold the springing pointsofthethreearches is
of
of
the side walls
together.
site.
the construction of the is
158 feet.
The structural
The
calculation
not based on tha thaory of shell construction, but on the principle of the cross-vault-
ing.
The
principal structure consists of three intersecting arches with dia-grid vaulting
between the main
ribs. The use economic considerations.
1
be
an equilateral triangular area and smaller adjoining buildings. The
triangular plan form has been partly dictated by the shape of the available
The
is to
project consists of a large
of prefabricated units for the vaults
Model seen from the south-east.
was favoured by
2 Section
3
through the east-west
axis.
See A-B of plan below). The south-west elevation.
4 Plan of ground floor at level (182.00 1
+
55,50
ft,)
Vertical ducts
2 Information kiosks
3 Stairs 4 Escalators 5
Goods
lifts
6 Lobbies 7
Goods
lifts
and
8
Goods
lifts
and
stairs for the fire
9
Goods Goods
lifts
and
stairs for the post
10
lifts
and
stairs for the
11
Customs
stairs to the kitchen
brigade
Red Cross
office
Of special interest
The glass
is
is
the aesthetic and structural solution of the enormous curtain walls.
fixed to vertical tubular supports
which are
order to
at 30 feet centres. In
provide the necessary stiffness to counteract horizontal wind forces a vertical truss
formed
of tubular
By
means
this
a very light and elegant form
bearing. Between the horizontal
walks and
is
supports and tension bars which are positioned by horizontal struts.
members
is
achieved. The curtain walls are non-load-
of the vertical trusses there
is
room
for cat-
brise-soieils.
5 Vertical section
through the curtain wall. The height
of the tubular truss
is
158 feet.
6 Horizontal section through the curtain wall Between two tubular trusses. Below the
cat-walk and above the adjustable
brrse-so/ei/s.
7 Detail of roof construction at tfie intersection of the arches. J
A node 1
point of the vauitin'
Pre-stressed concrete
2 Prefabricated elements of «ferro-cementow 9 Section through a prefabricated element. 10 Plan, section and various cross-sections through the structure, a
Thickness
of slab
approximately
3'/»
b Approximate outline of foundations c Tie 11
View
beam of structural
model from above.
inches
1
Design for a large Exhibition Centre The
building consistsof a central
circular walk of 246 feet width circular walk are stores
through a central roof will
is
through
its
in
Caracas - 1956
hall of
placed.
590 feet
The
in
diameter, around which a low
The covered area
and garage space for
light.
be constructed with the help
rigidity
domed
3,tXX) cars.
is
972,000 sq.ft, Below the
The
lighting of the hall is
roof structure of the circular walk of
movable shuttering. The dome
prefabricated units above which
is
a roof
is
corrugated and
will
membrane
have structural of further pre-
fabricated units in «ferro-cemento» for thermal insulation and weather proofing.
The
central hall with the
dome
of
prefabricated units.
2 Interior perspective of the circular walk.
'
3 Plan and section.
M M I
^ ^
Acknowledgement F.
Barsotti. Via Scala
to Photographers
4,
Firenze
5, 6. 7, 9,
Folo A. Cartoni, Via Michele
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Roma VIH Lando 48-54. Roma 19,
Bosio - Pressphoto, Piazza Barberini di
2,
20
Foto Casali, Milano 128 Foto Cresla, Piazza Principe 4-6, Genova 55
Foto-Studio Davio-Bazzan, Via
Lucien Hefv6,
11
B, Miniali, Livorno
Rue Soyer,
E,
De Amicis. Tortona
Neuilly
s.
80(1)
111, 113, 114, 115, 118, 121, 122, 123
Seine
52
Foto Moisio, Gall. S. Federico, 16, Torino 62, 65 Foto Riccardo Moncalvo. Via Ponza,
2,
Torino
68
(12),
59. 63
(18),
69
(7, 8, 9),
(19), 70,
66, 67,
69
73
(30), 93,
(20), 72,
73
94 (29),
74, 75, 81
Pier Luigi Nervl, Lungatevere
Arnaldo da Brescia,
Foto Panizzon, Socchieve (Udine) 82 Foto
P. Pollini,
Pordenone 82
Foto Oscar Savio, Via
(3).
di Pistra,
Foto Vasari, Via Condotti 39,
83
82a,
Roma
(2, 4),
Bologna
79(1),
9,
Roma
48,
49
(6).
79
(2)
(7)
(6)
Roma
89,
3, 26, 27, 28,
43, 49{7). 50, 51,63, (6), 65(11), 78. 80(2), 88,
FotoVillani,
83
84,85,86.95
92 30, 31, 32, 33, 34
(1), 37,
38, 39, 40, 41
90.91.99, 105, 124, 125,126, 127, 139
,
42,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
^
1262
05437
Date Due Returned APR
1
JUL 2 2
20J
200! _
m
nZOSi LB 27
,1m 2006
6461
^=