Understanding highrises

Torre Velasca _ a case study

Torre Velasca is an assembly building located in Milan, Italy designed by architects BBPR. It is a 106 m. high building with 26 floors. The building spans over 47 m * 51 m. The Velasca tower (1950–1958) experiments with the use of reinforced concrete in one of the very first tower buildings ever erected in Italy. The architects have tried to blend the design with traditional Gothic architecture of classical Milan but giving it a modern form with the use of new materials. The upper third of the building, which protrudes outward from the lower levels, was designed to resemble medieval watchtowers. Such defense towers were used in times of war to protect Italian castles from invasion. The building mimics some of the Gothic features of surrounding building in a simplified manner. In this building the columns have been crafted in a manner to be of Gothic style in a simplified manner. The architects have tried the method of crafting stone in RCC by not making any regular shaped columns and supports, but designed them as per the Classical Architecture of Milan

Designing highrise with a transport hub

Location: Borivali railway station