Proto-Industrial Architecture of the Veneto in the Age of Palladio

Project Leader: Prof. Guido Beltramini

Notes: The principal outcome of the research is the publication of the book ‘Proto-Industrial Architecture of the Veneto in the Age of Palladio’. This enlightening volume was edited by Deborah Howard and published by the CISAAP with funding from the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Regione del Veneto, the American Friends of Palladio and the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. It features 27 case studies written by the team in both English and Italian, photographs of the buildings, early maps, paintings, drawings, engravings of machinery and film stills. These sites are often overlooked and lack the protection granted to villas, palaces and churches. They face significant threats and are at risk of disappearing. While some are in precarious conditions, others have been altered over the centuries, yet many are lovingly maintained by proud local inhabitants. The sites’ owners, curators and artisans generously supported the fieldwork, cooperating throughout the project. An ambitious exhibition titled ‘Acqua, Terra, Fuoco’ was premiered at the Palladio Museum in Vicenza on 12 November 2022. The exhibition garnered significant media attention and featured a wide range of artefacts including reconstructed machinery models. Lectures and educational activities for children were organised to engage a wider audience.