Élevée – Moyenne – Faible Vitesse

(High – Medium – Low Speed)

Produced as a component of the Histoire & Théorie Critique course at the La Cambre Horta Faculty of Architecture, this volume undertakes an exploration of the evolution of the concept of speed in Milanese architecture during the latter half of the twentieth century. The publication comprises three essays that explore pivotal moments in this transformation, beginning with the post-war reconstruction era, characterized by the mass production of standardized buildings, to the protests of 1968, with their radical critique of modernism, and concluding with the 1970s, a period marked by a radical critique of modernism and the use of design as a means of reflecting on and deconstructing consumer society.

The booklet’s central premise – that “we have never been modern” – guides an examination of Milanese architecture’s oscillation between the urgency of the present and the search for a lost identity. The concept of speed, understood both as the pace of building production and as a metaphor for progress, emerges as a central theme, shaping and transforming the urban fabric as well as design practices. The result is an original contribution to the history of Italian architecture, offering a nuanced and critical perspective on a period crucial to Milan’s identity and, more broadly, on the role of architecture in contemporary society.

The booklet is printed in folded A4 format and bound with saddle stitching.