Il Museo del Tesoro di San Lorenzo di Franco Albini a Genova (1952-1956): l’ipotesi di una fonte nuragica

This essay aims at analysing the origin of two main characteristics of Franco Albini’s chief work, the Saint Lawrence Treasure Museum in Genoa (1952-1956): its planimetric composition and its roof characterised by radial beams in reinforced concrete. The research focuses on a possible relationship between the Genoese building and the proto-historical architecture of Sardinia. The planimetric evolution of the Albini’s project is related to the Sardinian nuraghi’s plants; moreover, there are similarities between the museum’s roof and the appearance of the prehistoric villages of Sardinia and the pre-Nuragic necropolis, as well as the sacred well temples of the Nuragic era. Therefore, it is useful to trace the history of the reception of Sardinian antiquities during the early XXth century as well as the rediscovery of ancient and vernacular Mediterranean architecture in the field of modern architecture.