The Architecture of Memory of Carlo Scarpa's Brion Tomb: Reflections and Drawings in the Margins

Abstract

The creator of some of the most original and transcendental architectural projects of the second half of the 20th century, Carlo Scarpa manifests a dependence on drawing in his creative process, adopting it as a means of inspiration and reflection for his design method. In his last project, a mausoleum for the Brion familyin San Vito diAltivole (Italy), he proposes a commemorative architecture with profound symbolism, imbuing the site with a powerful emotional and poetic charge. The meticulous work on the mausoleum is formalized in 1884 drawings, whose analysis allows us to reconstruct the authors' reflective process: the concerns, variations, and conclusions of the design. The thoughts during the creative process are expressed in sketches in the margins of the main drawings. The resultis a contemplative space that evokes memory, where Scarpa guides the mechanisms of our memory and invites us on a poetic journey of sensations.