The surprising architectural gems of Italy’s ports

The Silos Granari, built in 1901 in the port of Genoa, represent the first reinforced concrete building constructed in Italy using the system patented by François Hennebique in 1892. Designed to facilitate the unloading, storage and packaging of grain, they contributed to the spread of this new construction technique. Decommissioned in the 1970s, the former silos, known today as “l'Hennebique,” are now the focus of a redevelopment project: after decades of neglect, work has resulted in the removal of the post-war superstructures on the seaward facade, restoring the building to its original appearance. The project involves the complete restoration of the building by 2027 and its transformation into a multifunctional complex with offices, a hotel, cruise facilities, and exhibition and conference spaces, fitting into a larger plan to redevelop the waterfront between the Old Port and the Maritime Station.

The Exhibition Center for Modern and Contemporary Art, originally the Central Pescheria in Trieste, was designed by architect Giorgio Polli in 1913. The goal was to construct a functional building while respecting the canons of the neoclassical waterfront. Polli used the basilica typology, converting it back to its original secular market function: the pronaos housed the fish rods, while the bell tower masked the seawater tank. Inside, structural solutions borrowed from bridge engineering were used, such as the use of concrete main and secondary beams to support the sloping roof. On the outside, however, Polli resorted to Palladian stylistic elements, such as the serliana of the bell tower, the binate of the portico, and the thermal windows. Today the building has been transformed into the “Salone degli Incanti,” an exhibition center that hosts modern and contemporary art exhibitions.

The Port House, designed by Aldo Loris Rossi between 1969 and 1981 in the port of Naples, reflects the most experimental phase of Rossi's architectural research. The project, articulated in two blocks connected by elevated passageways, was conceived as part of a larger, potentially extensible modular system capable of shaping an entire new generation city. Each function is enclosed in distinct geometric volumes: cylinders for facilities, prisms for stairs and elevators, suspended plates for meeting rooms. The decision to develop most of the structure vertically responds to the idea of limiting land consumption. The façade alternates opaque and glazed surfaces, while the use of exposed reinforced concrete enhances its structural identity: the traces of the formwork highlight the radial trend of the floors. Originally designed to house offices and services for port workers, the structure is now in a partial state of disuse.

The Genoa Aquarium, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop with interiors curated by Peter Chermayeff, is located at Ponte Spinola in the Old Port area. Built for the 1992 Expo, the aquarium is part of a redevelopment project of the Genoa waterfront that radically transformed the relationship between the city and the sea. The structure consists of a sequence of large suspended tanks, supported by columns that allow the passage of technical systems below the pedestrian level. The exhibition route develops along a central spine, with two main bodies disengaged by a wooden corridor. The Cetacean Pavilion, designed by Piano and opened in 2013, consists of four semi-submerged tanks visible only from the inside. 

The entire complex unfolds like a large ship docked at the pier, with a central walkway evoking the deck and the exhibition tanks following one another like watertight compartments along the hull.

The project “Darsena di Ravenna, Lot 4,” signed by Cino Zucchi Architetti, is part of a larger urban regeneration plan in the port area close to Ravenna's railway station. Located along an artificial canal still active for local industries, the affordable housing building addresses the challenge of an area in transition. The project is developed on two fronts: one facing the city, characterized by a green esplanade that hides the parking lot and leads to an elevated courtyard, and one facing the canal, in anticipation of its future transformation into a promenade. The building is developed in staggered volumes and differentiated facades: to the north, the volumetric design is enhanced; to the south, long horizontal balconies enliven the surface. The main facades are marked by horizontal profiles framing colored plaster panels, inspired by Byzantine mosaics, dematerializing the mass of the building.

The Salerno Maritime Terminal, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a horizontally developed building characterized by a reinforced concrete shell with fluid geometries inspired by marine morphology. It is configured as a compact volume with a shell-like roof, shaped to provide wide spans without vertical elements, optimizing the distribution of loads and promoting spatial continuity. The projecting ends, resembling naval prows, emphasize the dynamic relationship between architecture and the coastal landscape. The interior space is developed in a system of ramps, inclined planes and balconies that define a continuous perceptual sequence, free of visual interruptions, functional to the management of passenger flows. The use of natural ventilation, derived from the architectural conformation and plan layout, ensures environmental comfort without recourse to invasive installations.

The “Ex Arsenale La Maddalena Masterplan” by studio Stefano Boeri was a redevelopment project aimed at converting a former military arsenal into a multifunctional seaside district to serve both the local community and delegates to the 2009 G8 summit, covering an area of 155,000 square meters. The project included the construction of conference centers, luxury residences and service facilities, with the intention of transforming the local economy. The “House of the Sea,” a multifunctional building intended as a conference center, is characterized by two overlapping volumes: a basalt stone basement, intended for technical and distributional services, and an upper parallelepiped made of screen-printed glass cantilevered over the water. Following the relocation of the G8 from La Maddalena to L'Aquila, all the buildings in the Masterplan, whether built from scratch or converted, remain unused.

The cruise terminal in Savona, designed by Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, is a multifunctional building that combines its primary function as a cruise ship landing with that of a space dedicated to exhibitions, conventions and meetings. The structure, located in the Old Dock and built between 1999 and 2003, has a rectangular floor plan and is on three levels: ground floor, second floor and mezzanine. The roof, characterized by two pitches converging toward a central skylight, recalls the wings of a seagull in flight. The bright and spacious interiors are defined by large perimeter glass surfaces and punctuated by the presence of palm trees. A covered walkway-terrace, more than 500 meters long and capable of accommodating two cruise ships at once, extends along the quay.

The Marina di Ragusa Marina Marina Control Tower, designed by Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo, was built between 2008 and 2009 as a new visual and functional garrison within the port system. The building stands at the end of the western pier, on pre-existing foundations, constrained in height and bulk by a previous project that was never completed. At the base is a reinforced concrete volume clad in wooden slats, intended for offices and service spaces, enclosed on all sides except the one facing the sea. Above this base, a second, slightly offset steel body houses the janitor's quarters, accessible via an external staircase and a balcony. This volume appears to be suspended, supported by two red lattice structures that graft into the ground and wrap laterally around the central body. The volume at the apex is a luminous glazed cube that houses the control offices and acts as a night lantern, marking the entrance to the harbor.