The West Residential Unit, affectionately nicknamed “Talponia” by the people of Ivrea, a name it still bears today, is one of the city’s most fascinating and surprising buildings, captivating both first-time visitors and those who encounter it every day. Impossible to overlook, it is a partially underground structure of striking theatricality, expressing a forward-looking architectural language while remaining in perfect dialogue with the surrounding meadows and woodland.
Commissioned in 1968 from two leading Turin architects, Roberto Gabetti and Aimaro Oreglia d’Isola, the project was completed in 1971 on the edge of the Villa Casana park, close to the Olivetti Houses for Large Families. What purpose did it serve? It was designed to provide temporary accommodation for newly recruited employees, staff members seeking housing, and company collaborators staying in Ivrea for short or extended periods.
The project began with the creation of an artificial gently sloping hill, resembling a natural amphitheatre. Beneath it — allowing the grassy landscape to completely cover the complex — the architects excavated a semicircular underground residential structure extending for approximately 300 metres. It includes 82 residential units, arranged as simplex or duplex apartments over one or two levels. Each unit enjoys a single, generous opening overlooking the shared green space. Positioned side by side in a semicircle, the apartments ensure maximum privacy from the view of neighboring residents.
A fully accessible covered roadway, marked on the surface by Plexiglas domes, provides access to the garages and, from there, to the apartments. All service areas are located at the rear of the complex and are equipped with artificial ventilation.
The interiors are equally remarkable for their elegance and functionality. Exposed concrete walls, inspired by the Brutalist style, are combined with bespoke furnishings and original pieces designed by Gabetti and Isola themselves, giving the interiors a distinctive and enduring character.
