Francesco Venezia: The Anti-Modern Architect Who Embraces Le Corbusier's Legacy

Francesco Venezia, born September 28, 1944, in Lauro, Irpinia, is an Italian architect known for his anti-modern stance and deep reverence for Le Corbusier. His works, such as the Palazzo di Lorenzo in Gibellina (1981-1987) and the Giardino segreto with Orazio Saluci (1985-1988), emphasize proportion, light, and materiality, often prioritizing aesthetic contemplation over functionality. Venezia belongs to the class of 1944, alongside Rem Koolhaas, Bernard Tschumi, Thom Mayne, and Massimiliano Fuksas, but differs by resisting modernity in favor of tradition. His 2016-2017 exhibition of Jean Arp at the Terme di Diocleziano in Rome (September 30, 2016 – January 15, 2017) was criticized for imposing classical proportional constraints on Arp's anarchic, free-form works. Venezia's approach has been described as 'modernità antimoderna,' paying the price of aestheticism and difficulty engaging with contemporary art movements. He studied architecture at the University of Naples, graduating in 1970, and has taught at the University of Genoa. His work includes exhibition design for ancient artifacts, notably at Palazzo Grassi for the Etruscans, praised by Francesco Dal Co.