MARCELLO D'OLIVO GAS STATION RESTORATION
The gas station can be considered a "small" representative synthesis of Marcello D'Olivo's language.
The condition of degradation and abandonment required a significant design effort while respecting the architecture characterized by ten columns supporting an arched canopy with an overhang of approximately eleven meters towards the national road.
To ensure seismic safety, invasive superstructures were avoided, and the columns were selectively reinforced with a structural concrete "jacket." The columns and the concrete canopy, which still bear the imprint of the original formwork, were freed, and full-height windows facing the national road were installed to allow the appreciation of the essence of the structure and D'Olivo's original design.
The internal partitions, necessary for the functional reorganization of the building, do not permanently affect the architectural framework. The building takes the form of a "lantern," a distinctive element in the gray landscape of the highway, which comes to life again, creating new places for gathering and socializing.