Torre Branca

Torre Branca rises above the trees of Parco Sempione as a slender lattice of steel. Designed by Gio Ponti for the fifth Triennale in 1933, the tower joins architectural design with an unusually visible expression of structural engineering.

Why it matters

The tower was created as an exhibition landmark during a period of intense experimentation in Milanese architecture. Its height and transparency made it a vertical counterpart to the Palazzo dell'Arte nearby. The structure expresses confidence in industrial materials while remaining visually light against the surrounding park.

What to notice

The main structure has a hexagonal section and tapers gently as it rises. Flanged and bolted Dalmine steel tubes create the open framework, allowing the geometry of the construction to remain legible. The belvedere crowns a structure whose total height is 108.6 metres. From the ground, the contrast between the thin metal members and mature trees is particularly distinctive.

Context and history

Originally named Torre Littoria, the tower belonged to the Fascist-era Triennale grounds. It fell out of use in 1972. Restoration sponsored by Fratelli Branca gave the landmark its later name and preserved an important example of Milan's twentieth-century exhibition architecture.