Image: Carlo Savonuzzi, Plan for suspended tank [on the Ferrara aqueduct], capacity 2500 m2, Variant from north elevation, 1929-1930 approx. (Architecture Library, FACS, Att. Com. 11, case 2, folder 11).
The engineer and architect Carlo Savonuzzi (Ferrara, 1897 - Sanremo, 1973) was one of the most important and prolific players in Ferrara's architecture and urban planning from the 1920s to the 1960s. He worked for both public institutions in the city - in particular the City Council and the Sant'Anna Central Hospital - and as an independent contractor.
The Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection (FACS) was acquired by the University of Ferrara Architecture Department in the early 2000s thanks to a donation from Gloria Savonuzzi, the daughter of the engineer and architect.
The collection includes the materials produced primarily through Carlo Savonuzzi's activities as a private contractor, as well as a few documents attributable to the services he provided to the public sector. It is made up of 263 folders, 23 volumes, 898 photographs (876 positives and 22 negatives) and 1867 drawings (on top of those preserved in the folders).
There are drawings on paper and tracing paper, charts, photographs, books and grey literature, all documentation that constitutes a highly important source for the study of the Ferrara area - and much more - and offers a glimpse into Savonuzzi's life, his passions and professional and personal relationships with other illustrious people of the time, including Adamo Boari, Giuseppe Agnelli and Luigi Vignali.
These are important artefacts for examining the many architectural works designed by Carlo Savonuzzi or for which he led the construction work, and also the urban transformations of the Este city in the same period.
The scientific director of the FACS is Professor Rita Fabbri (Architecture Department).
The collection is found in the Architecture Library, in Palazzo Tassoni.
To find out more
Ramona Loffredo, Inside and outside the Carlo Savonuzzi Collection, in Ferrara architettura, vol. 3: 1900s, edited by Rita Fabbri, Ferrara, Municipality, University of Ferrara, Faculty of Architecture, 2008, pp. 89-90.
Giovanna Caniatti, Carlo Savonuzzi: identity and place, in Cultural heritage revealed. The university libraries, from teaching to research and new opportunities. Ferrara Round Table, Restoration-Museums Fair, 22 March 2017. Proceedings, edited by Marina Contarini, Anna Bernabè and Maria Grazia Mondini, Ferrara, UnifePress, 2017
Anna Bernabè, ‘Carlo Savonuzzi’ Archival Collection in Stories of books and palaces. Tours of the Unife libraries, edited by Cristina Baldi and Paola Iannucci, Ferrara, UnifePress, 2021, pp. 208-211.
Marina Contarini, The Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection of the University of Ferrara, in «AAA Italia», n. 20/2021, pp. 64-65.
Rita Fabbri, The project for the Ferrara building of SADE Società Adriatica di Elettricità in the Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection, in «AAA Italia», n. 20/2021, pp. 64-65.
Rita Fabbri, Alice Turchetti, Caterina Zanotto, Venues for entertainment, architecture on a human scale. Attention to the human dimension in three projects by Carlo Savonuzzi, in «AAA Italia», n. 21/2022, pp. 21-23.
Marina Contarini, Unife Virtual Heritage to explore the cultural heritage of the University, in «AAA Italia», n. 20/2021, p. 47.
Rita Fabbri, Marco Bussoli, The Reno bursting its banks: the flood of February 1951 in the photographs of the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive, to be published in «AAA Italia», n. 22/2023
Luigi Tabacchi, The desired guest: the professional archive of architect Carlo Savonuzzi in the Architecture Library of the University of Ferrara, an example of mutual enhancement, in Quaderni del CNBA, 18/2024, pp. 52-61.
ARCHITECTURE IN DETAIL. Projects from the archive of Carlo Savonuzzi, edited by Rita Fabbri, UnifePress, 2024, ISBN 9788896463390. Online edition PDF (2024), ISBN 9788896463406, DOI https://doi.org/10.15160/xc0r-ak98.
The collection is kept at the Architecture Library.
The volumes that make up the collection are ineligible for external loans, but it is possible to consult them in the library, upon request, made by telephone (+39 0532 293628), email (biblioteca.architettura@unife.it) at times agreed with the staff.
The regulations and forms required for consultation and reproduction requests using your own means can be found on the About Us page of the Portal.
All of the documents were immediately secured, with further significant protection operations performed from 2013, allowing the collection to be opened to the public in 2016.
Interventions for the restoration of documents in more precarious condition were soon undertaken - and are still in progress - with particular attention to the drawings on tracing paper, which is a fragile material that is highly vulnerable to deterioration.
The first activity to reorganise the collection was supported by a generous donation from Salvatore Topa and Amedea Manservisi in memory of their son Gianluca, who was studying for a degree at the Ferrara Architecture Faculty when he unexpectedly died in January 2002. The work was performed by Anna Maria Guccini, director of the "Giuseppe Mengoni" Archive in Fontanelice (BO), with the support of the working group established by the University of Ferrara Faculty of Architecture; directed by Vittorio Savi, the group was made up of university lecturers such as Claudio Alessandri and Rita Fabbri, architect Ramona Loffredo, and librarians Landina Sebastianis and Luigi Tabacchi.
From 2014 to 2016, the collection underwent an archival inventory operation. Updates on the documents in the collection are now available via the portal archIVI. A city of archives, a project from the Del Monte Foundation in Bologna and Ravenna and the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation in Bologna, in collaboration with the Archival and Bibliographic Superintendency for Emilia-Romagna.
The collection is also catalogued in the Unified IT System for Archival Superintendencies (SIUSA) and can also be found through the thematic portal Archives of Architects, promoted by the General Direction for Archives at the Ministry of Culture.
To find out more
Marina Contarini and Anna Bernabè, Protection and promotion of ancient and valuable collections in the University of Ferrara libraries (2008-2017- ), in Cultural heritage revealed. The university libraries, from teaching to research and new opportunities. Ferrara Round Table, Restoration-Museums Fair, 22 March 2017. Proceedings, edited by Marina Contarini, Anna Bernabè and Maria Grazia Mondini, Ferrara, UnifePress, 2017
Armando Antonelli, The cultural heritage of the web. The archival experience of the “Archivi” portal, in Cultural heritage revealed. The university libraries, from teaching to research and new opportunities. Ferrara Round Table, Restoration-Museums Fair, 22 March 2017. Proceedings, edited by Marina Contarini, Anna Bernabè and Maria Grazia Mondini, Ferrara, UnifePress, 2017
With the Art Bonus, you can support projects for ancient book restoration at the University of Ferrara.
Virtual Tour
Conventions, conferences, seminars
19-21 September 2024 - FACS attends the AISU (Italian Association of Urban History) conference on the theme "Cities and students. University residences: culture, spaces, heritage", Pesaro/Urbino, with contributions from Marco Bussoli and Rita Fabbri, "The Growing University: Tassoni-Mirogli Palace and the Student Residence in Carlo Savonuzzi’s Project (1963-1969)".
16 May 2024 - FACS participates in the XIV Architecture Archives Day dedicated to "Architecture and the Arts" with the virtual exhibition "Attention to Detail. Carlo Savonuzzi and the Applied Arts".
15 June 2023 - The University Library System is participating in the 18th Study Day of the National Coordination of Architecture Libraries (Bologna, 15 June) with a presentation by Luigi Tabacchi entitled "The welcome guest: the professional archive of architect Carlo Savonuzzi in the Architecture Library of the University of Ferrara, an example of mutual enhancement".
18 May 2023 - Participation in the XIII Architecture Archives Day dedicated to the theme "Beyond Borders", with the virtual exhibition "The Reno beyond the banks: The February 1951 Flood in Photographs from the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive".
6-7 May 2022 - Unife participates with the Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection in the forum "Protecting modernity. From archives to works" (6 May, MART Museum, Rovereto TN) and in the AAA/Italy Annual Members' Meeting (7 May).
19 May 2022 - FACS participates with the virtual exhibition "Places for entertainment. Architecture on a human scale", in the XII National Day of Architecture Archives dedicated to "The human dimension". The virtual exhibition is available online on the SBA Portal and on YouTube and is being screened at Tassoni Estense Palace.
16 April 2018 - Lesson "The architect's papers: pieces from the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive" in the Course Architecture and pre-existing structures in direct and indirect sources - UTEF (University for Continuing Education in Ferrara, academic year 2018/19).
22 March 2017 - Presentation of a contribution on FACS at the round table "Cultural heritage revealed: university libraries between teaching, research and new opportunities", organised by SBA (in collaboration with AIB Emilia-Romagna) at "Restauro-Musei. Exhibition on Economics, Conservation, Technology and Enhancement of Cultural and Environmental Heritage" (Fe, 22–24 March 2017). Open access pubblication of proceedings.
28 October 2016 - Convention City of paper | City of stone - The professional archive of Carlo Savonuzzi, a protagonist of Ferrara's architecture in the 1900s (Ferrara, University Architecture Department, 28 October 2016)
Led by the University of Ferrara Architecture Department, and the university's Libraries Division, Museums Division and Historical Archive, with the contribution of the Archival and Bibliographical Superintendency for Emilia-Romagna, the Del Monte Foundation in Bologna and Ravenna, the Ferrara Municipal Theatre and the Wunderkammer Consortium in Ferrara.
City of paper and City of stone. Conference: The professional archive of Carlo Savonuzzi (length: 1 hour, 17 minutes and 45 seconds)
Press Review
28 October 2016, The City of Archives: The archive of Carlo Savonuzzi, a protagonist of Ferrara's architecture in the 1900s, is released
29 October 2016, Il Resto del Carlino, Ferrara, the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive on display
31 October 2016, Il mondo degli archivi, The archive of Carlo, Ferrara architect
16 November 2016, Listone Mag, Savonuzzi, who was he?
16 December 2016, Ferrara Italia, The exhibition of architect Carlo Savonuzzi's archive at Unife
16 December 2016, Estense.com, Exhibition of the projects from architect Carlo Savonuzzi's personal archive
28 January 2019, CronacaComune. The Ferrara City Council's online newspaper, "The architect's papers": workshop with the projects of engineer Savonuzzi
29 January 2019, La Nuova Ferrara, A visit to the Savonuzzi Archive to understand his architecture
Workshops
November/December 2024 - FACS is once again the subject of study and analysis as part of a Cross-Curricular Skills and Guidance Programme (PCTO) with the organisation of an educational workshop with a Year 5 class from the “Dosso Dossi” Art School in Ferrara.
29 January 2019 - Participation in the Emilia-Romagna Cultural Heritage Institute's contest titled "I Love Cultural Heritage" (8th edition).
The entry, which was the winner of funding in the "archives" section, was submitted by the Ferrara City Council (Libraries and Archives Service) along with CPIA, Centre for Adult Education - Ferrara (lead institutions), with the collaboration of other educational and cultural partners from the city. It was dedicated to a project to develop the Garden District, called "The world garden: a journey into the most multicultural district in Ferrara". Within the framework of the project, the Architecture Department participated by developing a workshop (led by Rita Fabbri) called "The architect's papers: projects in the Garden District from the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive", which was held at the UNIFE Architecture Department's "M. Zaffagnini" Library with class 2C from Carducci High School. Press release
2016 - Workshop developed in collaboration with the «Luigi Einaudi» Institute of Higher Education, Ferrara, and the «Alda Costa» State Comprehensive Institute, Ferrara (28 October - 6 November 2016). Structured using a peer-to-peer framework, the workshop allowed the students from the «L. Einaudi» Institute to develop technical skills, as well as knowledge of the 20th century urban planning and architecture in our city, which in turn helped them to act as tutors for the younger pupils from the «A. Costa» Institute. The drawings produced during the workshop were displayed, along with a wide selection of projects from FACS, at an exhibition held at the Chemistry and Biology Library of Santa Maria delle Grazie (6 December 2016 - 31 January 2017).
Exhibitions
2024 - Two original FACS graphic designs are on display at Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili, home to the Unife Economics Library, as part of the exhibition "Other stories of books and palaces." organised by the University Library System (28 June-19 July).
Exhibition "Architecture in detail. Projects from the Carlo Savonuzzi archive" (Tassoni Estense Palace) organised by the Department of Architecture in collaboration with the University Library System (27 May–7 June).
2022 - Virtual exhibition Places for performance. Architecture on a human scale, opened on the occasion of the 12th National Architecture Archives Day (19 May 2022), promoted by the National Association of Contemporary Architecture Archives and dedicated to «The human dimension». Flyer
Virtual exhibition - Places for performance. Architecture on a human scale video (length: 15 minutes and 14 seconds)
2019 - Places of care, through the documents in the Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection (Ferrara, Palazzo Tassoni, 26-30 October 2019), for Ferrara Open Monuments.
2018 - Exhibition of reproductions of FACS documents at the Ferrara ex-MOF during Ferrara Open Monuments.
2016 - City of paper and City of stone. Interpreting and reinterpreting Carlo Savonuzzi's architecture (Ferrara, Chemistry and Biology Library of Santa Maria delle Grazie, 6 December 2016 - 31 January 2017)
2016 - City of paper | City of stone - The professional archive of Carlo Savonuzzi (Ferrara, Palazzo Tassoni Estense, Municipal Theatre and Palazzo Savonuzzi, 28 October - 6 November 2016). Organised by the University of Ferrara Architecture Department, and the university's Libraries Division, Museums Division and Historical Archive, with the contribution of the Archival and Bibliographical Superintendency for Emilia-Romagna, the Del Monte Foundation in Bologna and Ravenna, the Ferrara Municipal Theatre and the Wunderkammer Consortium in Ferrara.
Digitalisation
Guided tours
20 October 2024 - During the Open Monuments 2024 cultural event, class IV C of the G. Matteotti primary school (IC F. De Pisis) presented the Savonuzzi Archival Collection to 503 visitors.
27 September 2024 - FACS is participating in European Researchers' Night with the event "Inside the water machine" relating to the monumental aqueduct reservoir project (inaugurated in 1932), with an exhibition of a wooden model and the opportunity to use a viewer to take a virtual tour inside the building, which is usually inaccessible to the public.
26/27 October 2019 - Participation in the 2019 edition of "Open Monuments" with a selection of graphic and photographic materials exhibited in Tassoni Estense Palace. The artistic heritage is recounted by primary and secondary school students from San Martino and San Bartolomeo in Bosco.
28 October 2018 - Stories of books and palaces. Inauguration of the tour with the opening of the locations. The students from the 4th year of the "A. Roiti" Science-specialist High School in Ferrara, along with representatives from the University Library System and Museum System, guided visitors around the palaces of the university, libraries and historical collections.
Audiovisual
Other
Images of pieces from the collection have been reproduced on bookmarks, postcards and other novelty items available at the Unife Libraries.
In 2020, the video City of paper | City of stone - The professional archive of Carlo Savonuzzi was selected for the campaign #laculturanonsiferma promoted during the pandemic emergency (2020) by the Emilia-Romagna Institute for Artistic, Cultural and Natural Heritage, to offer people the opportunity to follow the cultural offer of our region, which was temporarily suspended, from a distance, using the Lepida TV digital platform on digital TV channel 118.
Since 2021, FACS has been a member of AAA/Italy - the National Association of Contemporary Architecture Archives.
To find out more
Rita Fabbri, City of paper | City of stone: The professional archive of Carlo Savonuzzi, a protagonist of Ferrara's architecture in the 1900s, opens to the public, «La Pianura», 2016, no. 3, pp. 57-59
Rita Fabbri, Promoting the archival legacy of an architect: experiences with the Carlo Savonuzzi Archive, in Cultural heritage revealed. The university libraries, from teaching to research and new opportunities. Ferrara Round Table, Restoration-Museums Fair, 22 March 2017. Proceedings, edited by Marina Contarini, Anna Bernabè and Maria Grazia Mondini, Ferrara, UnifePress, 2017
