In 1950, Adriano Olivetti was appointed President of the National Institute of Urban Planning (INU). This shows that urban development was a key priority for him.
In the frenetic post-war period, this new vision of the city was crucial. In this context, in 1949, the Office for employee housing consultancy (UCCD) was established; it remained active until 1969. At the helm of the UCCD was a 25-year-old architect, Emilio Aventino Tarpino. He would prove to be a key figure in the transformation of the Ivrea area. He designed and oversaw hundreds of projects that would give the built environment a high standard of formal and structural quality.
Depending on the client’s preferences and the company’s requirements, the housing units ranged from single-family and semi-detached houses to small apartment blocks and ‘tower’ blocks. The whole process is focused on the end user. First of all, applicants are given a questionnaire entitled How do you want your home to be?, in which they can express all their requirements. The aim is to find solutions that harmonize new forms with local materials.
Tarpino’s portfolio includes buildings that are more in keeping with traditional styles, such as Casa Barberis, and Brutalist-style buildings, such as Casa Sidro. The specifications are then put out to tender to building contractors. Once the best quote has been selected, construction begins, with the architect overseeing the entire process. The company offers loans at very low interest rates, and the UCCD provides the design and construction supervision free of charge.
Some examples of this original and flexible housing scheme promoted by Olivetti include the Condominio Fiò Bellot (Via Pinchia 3; 1951), Villa Prelle (Via Jervis 39; 1951), Casa Stratta (Strada Monte Navale 8e; 1951), Casa Morucci (Via del Lys 11; 1958) and Casa Perotti (Via del Lys 9; 1958). Other notable single-family homes are: Villa Rossi (built in 1961), situated on a natural hill opposite Palazzo Uffici on Via Jervis; Villa Prelle, near the Castellamonte neighbourhood; and the architect’s own residence, the innovative Casa Tarpino on Via Chiaves, completed in 1952.
