Casa Esagono, a visionary architectural project conceived by the trailblazing Italian architect Vittorio Giorgini, stands today as a testament to his unique approach to design.
While Giorgini's career was marked by the introduction of innovative designs and groundbreaking use of materials, it was his passion for form-finding and focus on functional solutions that set him apart from his peers.
The architectural landscape of Giorgini's time was rich with movements and schools of thought, yet he found himself often standing apart, his unconventional ideas sometimes bordering on radical. Inspired by figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Frederick Kiesler, and Buckminster Fuller, Giorgini ventured into creating structures that reflected his fascination with the interplay of forces, resistance of materials, and the system of tensions. This fascination, which could be traced back to his childhood interests in sailing and model aircraft making, led to designs that were unique and thought-provoking.
One of Giorgini's earliest ventures was the creation of a hexagonal, prefabricated wooden house even before he had graduated - the prototype for Casa Esagono. His architectural prowess was further demonstrated in his designs for an over 3-kilometer single-span bridge over the Strait of Messina, and the Quadrante gallery for his sister Matilde, which became a focal point for artistic research during its time.
As an educator, Giorgini promoted the concept that space is the result of form-finding, a principle that he coined as "Spaziologia" or "Spaceology." His teaching methodology was one of encouragement and active learning. However, Giorgini cautioned against misunderstanding his work, as his primary focus was on functional solutions rather than mere aesthetic experimentation. This functional emphasis led him to express doubt about architecture that prioritized aesthetics over practical use, such as the work of Frank Gehry.
Today, Giorgini's Casa Esagono stands not just as an architectural marvel but a cultural and artistic hub. Once an empty and abandoned space, the hexagonal house has been reimagined by the Centro Pecci in Prato, a foundation for contemporary arts in Tuscany, as an ideal venue for exhibitions, installations, debates, and more. It has been meticulously recovered and isolated from nearby anthropic areas, creating a space that facilitates dialogue, evokes emotions, and fosters cultural experiences.
In a bid to make this artistic treasure accessible to everyone, the Centro Pecci, on behalf of the regional agency Toscana Promozione Turistica, has included Casa Esagono in a list of significant sites for artistic, cultural, and touristic value. Thus, Casa Esagono today is a shared platform that transcends the boundaries of language and embraces the contemporaneity of expression, a fitting tribute to Giorgini's forward-thinking and pioneering spirit.
