Alessandro Federico Martini

Alessandro Martini (Turin, 8th July 1972) graduated in 1999 at the Faculty of Architecture of the Polytechnic in Turin where in 2004 he obtained the Doctorate for Research in History and Criticism of the architectonical and environmental fine Arts. Since 2007, at the same Polytechnic hes a Professor for the Contemporary History Architecture course. Freelance Journalist, hes the editor of «Il Giornale dellArte» for the news and Museums sections and the Italian correspondent for «The Art Newspaper». Hes collaborated and still collaborates for Italian periodicals «TuttoLibri de La Stampa», «Il Giornale dellArchitettura» and at International level «le Journal des Arts», «The Art Newspaper», El Periodico del Arte. Since 2000 hes a member of the editorial committee for the literary review «Atti & Rassegna tecnica della Società degli Ingegneri e degli Architetti in Torino». He was the Editor of MuseoTorino, the first on-line Museum of Italian history and the Editor in charge of the review «Rivista MuseoTorino» (2009-12). Hes involved in the study of the city and its architecture for the periods between the 19th and 20th centuries. Hes the author of essays and studies published in reviews, volumes, conference acts. Among his main publications: Le Terme di Acqui. Città e architetture per la cura e per lo svago (Allemandi, 2009; in 2010 the English edition), Sfogliando i musei. Architetture e politiche culturali. Dieci anni di scritti per «Il Giornale dellArte», 2000-2010 (Allemandi, 2010) and the essays: Architettura e stile, istruzione e diletto.

Date	City	Interventions	Summary	Media

2014-10-17	Acqui Terme	Alessandro Federico Martini -	Since roman times, and later throughout the medieval period and finally from the 17th century, the mud and curative waters are the resources on which Acqui builds its identity, along with significant architecture for treatments and welcome. Marked by certain reluctance in relationship with the splendours and the worldly pleasures, Acqui confirms its vocation towards a rigorously sanitary thermalism during the course of the 19th century, with the construction of buildings (ahead of its time respect to the rest of the country) destined to a specific clientele like the military or the lower-class. The case of Acqui, a city of treatments before one of leisure, is deeply different to that of many spa resorts of the international loisir that exploded during the Belle Époque period. The Liberty style doesnt leave any noteworthy buildings, whereas during early 1910 and the 1920s spectacular hypothetic projects for the Antiche and Nuove Terme signed by quality designers were presented capable of stimulating new ambitions on a quality architectonical and urban scale. These were the projects by Antonio Vandone from Cortemilia, of Ugo Giusti and Pietro Betta, presented between 1917 and 1927 but never accomplished. With minor ambitions and architectonical results during the Fascism years the local system completes the Nuove Terme and the thermal swimming pool, intended to favour the use of the Thermae for healthy people. Only later after the war, a new phase takes off, led by the National Health Service.

2014-10-17

Acqui Terme

Alessandro Federico Martini -

Since roman times, and later throughout the medieval period and finally from the 17th century, the mud and curative waters are the resources on which Acqui builds its identity, along with significant architecture for treatments and welcome.

Marked by certain reluctance in relationship with the splendours and the worldly pleasures, Acqui confirms its vocation towards a rigorously sanitary thermalism during the course of the 19th century, with the construction of buildings (ahead of its time respect to the rest of the country) destined to a specific clientele like the military or the lower-class.

The case of Acqui, a city of treatments before one of leisure, is deeply different to that of many spa resorts of the international loisir that exploded during the Belle Époque period.

The Liberty style doesnt leave any noteworthy buildings, whereas during early 1910 and the 1920s spectacular hypothetic projects for the Antiche and Nuove Terme signed by quality designers were presented capable of stimulating new ambitions on a quality architectonical and urban scale. These were the projects by Antonio Vandone from Cortemilia, of Ugo Giusti and Pietro Betta, presented between 1917 and 1927 but never accomplished.

With minor ambitions and architectonical results during the Fascism years the local system completes the Nuove Terme and the thermal swimming pool, intended to favour the use of the Thermae for healthy people. Only later after the war, a new phase takes off, led by the National Health Service.