White Whale: The Aquarium and Reptile House at the Turin Zoo and the Architecture of Enzo Venturelli (1955–1965)

Abstract

In Enzo Venturelli’s architectural oeuvre, the relationship between his overlooked built work and his better known drawn and written production is problematic and currently under-studied. Venturelli’s design of the 'acquario-rettilario' (aquarium and reptile house) (1958–60) for the Turin Zoo appeared midway through his career, part of the architectural milieu of the mid-1950s in which the zoo itself was conceived. This article analyses the building’s history and design within the context of Venturelli’s writings, projects, exhibitions and contacts with artists and architects between the late 1950s and early 1960s. The 'acquario-rettilario' constitutes a significant case for reconsidering Venturelli as both a radical architectural theoretician and a practising building designer.