Pier Luigi Nervi, modern technology for classical typology.

This paper investigates around the figure of Pier Luigi Nervi (1891-1979). Perceived mainly as an innovative structural engineer, Nervi has been arguably the most important Italian designer of the post-war period.

This article is founded on the necessity to update the knowledge on the substantial contribution on Architecture from the Engineers. The timeliness of this research is apparent when one considers, for example, the 2005 RIBA Gold medal awarded to the Engineer Frei Otto. In this perspective, Nervi needs to be re-considered under the new light of his design-process, which had the most apparent outcome in the structures for the Olympic Games in Rome, 1960. An account of which is traced in this paper. Through historical comparisons, this paper shows how important were the influences of contemporary and historical context in which Nervi designed these sport buildings.