The Journal of Architecture | 2021
Comparative approaches on urban planning: Alvar Aalto’s assistant from Italy — an interview with Vezio Nava
Abstract
Vezio Nava (Fig. 1) was born in Rome, Italy, in 1936. He started studying architecture in Rome but graduated from the Helsinki University of Technology (formerly the Polytechnic, now Aalto University) in 1964. After moving to Finland in 1960, he worked in Alvar Aalto’s Bureau for more than 20 years: when Aalto died in 1976, he continued with Elissa Aalto. He participated in several projects, with a leading role in the Riola Church project, Santa Maria Asunta di Riola. In August 2019, Christine Candolin — an artist close to Nava — and I visited the small village of Riola de Vergato near Bologna, where the Catholic church Santa Maria Asunta de Riola was built. Arriving there by train sets up an itinerary with valleys, rivers, other villages, and forested areas. The view of the Riola Church was partial, but its dominance was clearly expressed. The bell tower stood out with the higher horizontal glass windows framed by the forest (Fig. 2). The church was built close to the Reno river with mountains in the background: this distinct landscape was certainly a source of inspiration for the project. Candolin was overwhelmed by the church on approaching it: it was so different fromwhat I’ve seen before, the form of it so unique and unconventional, nothing like an ordinary sanctuary. The outer form is even a little confusing but having walked around it and inspected it from different perspectives, I suddenly understood; Aalto had really placed the building in this river valley of all valleys and let the outer forms of it echo the meandering rising landscape and soft forms of the hills surrounding the village. In contrast he had placed the parish centre houses higher; on the other side of the church, on a descending slope, allowing them to resemble the more cubical small village houses which could be seen on the hillsides round the valley. Therefore, from the outside, the building feels quite down to earth, echoing the surrounding landscape also in colours, and then, while entering the building you are impressed by the simple but magnifique clean white interior that rises high. The church feels much bigger inside than seen from the outside! The curving shapes of the white bending columns and walls give an impression of heightened solemnity and peace. It is a great building. You feel at the same time at home and elevated. Every curve and angle in this space is meaningful and yet so natural. There is nothing faux here. I love this building. Fabio Jose Martins de Lima