Cesare Gamba (1851 – 1927) was an Italian engineer, urban planner, and entrepreneur.
Biography
Cesare Gamba was born in Genoa on June 17, 1851. A multifaceted figure, Gamba was a cultured man, politically engaged, a lover and scholar of foreign languages, and a devotee of various artistic interests. His passion for music and theater led him to meet the most famous artists and musicians of the time, from
Eleonora Duse
Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse ( , ; 3 October 185821 April 1924), often known simply as Duse, was an Italian actress, rated by many as the greatest of her time. She performed in many countries, notably in the plays of Gabriele d'Annunzio and Hen ...
to
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 or 23 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including '' La Dame Aux Camel ...
. A mountain enthusiast, he was among the first to reach the summit of
Mont Blanc.
Graduating in civil engineering and architecture from the
Royal School of Application for Engineers of Turin, he began working at the technical office of the Genoese engineer
Cesare Parodi. These were years of "fruitful technical initiation" for him, in which, although very young, he had the opportunity to collaborate on important projects including that for the
Galliera Hospital
Galliera ( Northern Bolognese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about north of Bologna.
Galliera borders the following municipalities: Malalbergo, Pieve di Cento, ...
.
He set up his office at
piazza Corvetto
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...
and his residence on Via Montesano, Genoa, where he designed his own villa.
Cesare Gamba's professional figure is mostly linked to the construction of
Via XX Settembre in Genoa, a vast urban operation that saw him as an undisputed skilled protagonist in various aspects of the intervention (including
Gino Coppedè
Luigi "Gino" Coppedè (26 September 1866 – 20 September 1927) was an Italian architect, sculptor and decorator. He was an exponent of Art Nouveau.
Biography
Coppedè was born in Florence, a son of Mariano Coppedè and brother of Adolfo Co ...
,
Benvenuto Pesce Maineri,
Giuseppe Cannovale,
Luigi Rovelli
Luigi Rovelli (1850–1911) was an Italian architect, a key figure in the eclecticism movement in Liguria.
Biography
Luigi Rovelli was born in Monza on March 23, 1850. A student of Camillo Boito, he graduated from the Brera Academy. Following ...
,
Dario Carbone
Dario is a masculine given name, etymologically related to Darius.
Given name
*Dario Allevi (born 1965), Italian politician
*Dario Argento (born 1940), Italian film director
*Dario Badinelli (born 1946), Italian triple jumper
*Dario Bellezza (19 ...
,
Gaetano Orzali,
Stefano Cuneo,
Raffaele Croce, Giuseppe Tallero, G. B. Carpineti, the Celle brothers, and others): from financial to technical and design aspects. The creation of a new road axis and the consequent arrangement of
Piazza De Ferrari, the construction of the Monumental Bridge, and the connection between the Carignano area and that of the
Acquasola, were the main interventions planned by the great urban transformation operation entrusted to engineer Gamba.
He also conducted numerous studies during this period concerning city traffic (1914), the residential plan for the
Albaro area (1900 - 1903), and the study for the industrial port of
Sestri Ponente (1917). He is also responsible for the design and construction of the ''Palazzo della
Navigazione Generale Italiana'', completed in 1924 and later known as the
Palazzo della Regione Liguria.
Cesare Gamba died in Genoa on August 19, 1927. His wife Anna Cabella, in the plaque she had engraved at the
Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno
The Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno is an extensive monumental cemetery located on a hillside in the district of Staglieno of Genoa, Italy, famous for its monumental sculpture. Covering an area of more than a square kilometre, it is one of the ...
, remembered him with this inscription: "engineer, architect, rebuilder of his Genoa, artist, musician, high intellect and noble spirit, he preserved the heritage of integrity entrusted to him by his parents."
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Blibliography
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References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gamba, Cesare
1851 births
1927 deaths
19th-century Italian engineers
19th-century Italian businesspeople
20th-century Italian engineers
20th-century Italian businesspeople
People from Genoa