In 1885 an extensive plan was drawn up to radically expand, restructure, and redevelop the old historical center of Turin and its surrounding areas. This initiative was welcomed and encouraged by the entrepreneurial middle class which was interested in appropriating and expanding the center of Turin. Thus the moment was right for the arrival of a new style of architecture: liberty style. The relatively undeveloped areas of the city were the first to be effected: corso Francia via Cibrario, the Crocetta, and the area in front of the hill near the Po. The liberty style constructions in the old city center were much more limited, as there were no large tracts of land available, and most of the new liberty constructions were in fact built to house large trade and commerce operations. The Italian version of Art Nouveau was officially consecrated in 1902 with the General Exposition. To get an idea of this style of architecture in Turin, you can check out: casa Avezzano on via Vico 2, casa Florio on via San Francesco 17, villa Foa-Levi on via Bezzecca 11, and palazzina Menzio on via Donizetti 22. |
