2023-10-17 17:05:57
Time.news – With a 38 meter high tower and sectors built in depth, even exceeding the aquifer, down to 20 meters, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan inaugurated its new spaces, in via Verdi, after the laying of the first stone in April 2021.
A total of 6 floors below ground, and 11 above ground, designed byarchitect Mario Botta together witharchitect Emilio Pizzi.
The Tower, which aligns with the already existing one of Piermarini, built with contribution from the State and the Lombardy Region and the support of Aria Spa as a contracting station, has the medieval flavour, typical of Botta, with the “flared” shaped head that nods a bit to the Velasca tower” explained the architect.
There are offices overlooking via Verdi, two large terraces, a very deep backstage, 70 metres, perhaps the “deepest in Europe”. But it is by going down to 18 meters that you find “the real jewel of this transformation”, the new “orchestra house”, which will be operational starting next spring, when the construction of the acoustic coverings will be finished.
“In this room, the orchestra – explained Botta – will have the same surface area as the stage, with a height of 14 metres”. It is located on the -6 floor and with its perfect acoustics it can also be used as a recording room .
To create it, after the demolition of the pre-existing building, a banking institution, which was located there, it was necessary to dig a 19.5 meter deep waterproof concrete tank.
With satisfaction, architect Emilio Pizzi recalls that everything was done according to the timetable, despite the pandemic: “In two years we managed to create the building, which was not simple because on a portion of approximately 500 square meterswe managed to obtain approximately 4 thousand square meters of useful surface area for the theatre, with the large voids behind the stage and the rehearsal room for the orchestra, which also from an executive point of view give a certain complexity to the construction”.
Today, therefore, the surface works were delivered: eleven floors for officesthe rehearsal room for the Ball on the ninth floor (145 m2), the space for unloading and pre-assembling the sets behind the stage, in addition to the two large terraces on the fourth and sixth floors (152 and 134 m2 respectively), the latter, overlooking Via Verdi, can also be rented by partners for events.
And the competition for the acoustics of the prove room of the Orchestra, which it will be delivered in spring. The fact that not everything can be used from today led the Scala trade unions not to participate in the inauguration: in a note, they complained about the unfinished works and the lack of a meeting with the management to evaluate the merits of the distribution of the spaces”.
The new towercovered with slabs of Botticino fiorelli, built by the ATI D’Adiutorio Costruzioni Spa–Gianni Benvenuto Spa with the direction of the works by the engineer Marco Morelli, it is not only beautiful but “it is functional“. As noted by the mayor of Milan and president of the Teatro alla Scala Foundation Giuseppe Sala “it will save costs and is sustainable. It is one step then there will be another, even if it will take more time, with the Magnifica Fabbrica, which will bring together the laboratories of La Scala”.
In fact, the building is energy efficient as it uses renewable sources: air conditioning with heat pumps cooled using well water, district heating system and photovoltaic panels on the roof. With the new structure “We have the possibility of bringing together all the Scala staff in the same building. For me, bringing the whole family together in the central nursery is an important thing” underlined the superintendent Dominique Meyer.
Also remembering the savings that will be obtained: with the move of staff from the offices via Torino 68, the renewal of the rental contract will be avoided which weighs on the Scaliger budget for 350,000 euros per year (to which must be added 31,000 per year in expenses).
The offices currently in via Pellico, 1 will also move to the new tower and the process of reorganization and relocation of the functions and activities in the historic location will begin: the current Orchestra rehearsal room, for example, will become a rehearsal room for the Choir .
The overall economic commitment of the project amounts to approximately 23 million euros including the demolition of the previous building, the construction works, the connections with the Piermarini and the renovation work on the premises freed at the Piermarini.
As Meyer explained, this sum is covered for 13 million from the Teatro alla Scala Foundation’s own resources; further contributions included shares of 3,570,000 provided by the State, 786,000 euros from the Lombardy Region to which a further contribution of 2,328,000 provided by the Ministry of Culture as part of the 2021 Finance Law.
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