Palazzo Nervi-Scattolin: Pier Luigi Nervi's Venetian Masterpiece

Palazzo Nervi-Scattolin in Venice, built between 1963 and 1972 as the new headquarters of Cassa di Risparmio di Venezia (now Intesa Sanpaolo), is a rare example of 20th-century modernism prevailing over the city's conservative resistance. Designed by architect Angelo Scattolin and engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, the building faced delays due to the 1970s oil crisis, material shortages, and disputes over its modernist facade. Nervi's innovative structural solution—a ribbed isostatic slab supported by four slender columns—allowed for a flexible ground floor and housed mechanical systems. The facade, originally featuring hexagonal lozenge bands reminiscent of Palazzo Ducale, was simplified after criticism. The building's technical qualities, including a spiral staircase suspended from a central concrete shaft and Murano glass lamps integrated into the ceiling cavities, remain underappreciated in architectural literature. The project was completed in 1972 for the bank's 150th anniversary.