Pietro Porcinai and the Landscape of Modern Italy

by Marc Treib, Luigi Latini

Overview

Born in Florence in 1910, Pietro Porcinai grew up on the classic grounds of the Villa Gamberaia in Settignano where his father served as head gardener. Although he studied agriculture in college, Porcinai’s true interest lay in the landscape architecture practice he founded in 1938. Early projects centered in the area of Arezzo, whose style reflected modern­ized traditional models. In the postwar era the office flourished, producing modern gardens of remarkable design and use of plants. In these works, Porcinai convincingly demonstrated the affinity between historical architecture and landscapes un­compromisingly modern. During his long and productive career he also consulted on autostrada planning, and designed public parks, memorials, and even a Pinocchio theme park-at times collaborating with noted architects such as Renzo Piano, Carlo Scarpa and Oscar Niemeyer. This book, the first English-language study on Pietro Porcinai provides a comprehensive and richly illustrated overview of his life and remarkable achievements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317080947
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/15/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Marc Treib, University of California, Berkeley, USA and Luigi Latini, IUAV Venice, Italy

Table of Contents

Introduction, 1. A Life and its Cultural Context, 2. A Dialogue with History, 3. Topography Found, Modeled, or Constructed, 4. Plants and Planting, 5. Working with Architects: Collaborations, 1937–1980, Notes, Biographical and Professional Outline, Bibliography, Acknowledgments, Contributors, Index