Mario Tamagno (19 June 1877 – 1941) was an Italian

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

who worked mainly in early 20th-century Siam (modern-day

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

Biography

He was educated at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

, where he became an instructor after graduating in 1895. He travelled to Siam in 1900, where he entered employment with the Siamese government in a twenty-five-year contract. He was among many Westerners, particularly Italians, who were employed as architects and civil engineers during the reign of King

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

. He produced many works, and contributed extensively with

Annibale Rigotti Annibale Rigotti (30 October 1870 – 8 March 1968) was an Italian architect, teacher, designer and urban planner. Biography Born in Turin, he was educated in architecture at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 1890. In 1893 he a ...

, most notably on the

Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall The Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall ( th, พระที่นั่งอนันตสมาคม : ''Phra Thinang Anantasamakhom'': translated as 'The place of immense gathering'Noobanjong, page 167) is a royal reception hall in Dusit Palace i ...

. He married his classmate of Accademia Albertina, Marianna Zuccaro, who came to Bangkok in 1901. After the term of his government contract (1900-1925), he was asked by the Siamese government to continue his work for Villa Norasing (today House of Government) during its last phase of construction, in May 1926 he returned to his homeland with a lifetime retirement income from the Government of Siam.

Notable contributions

Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge ( th, สะพานมัฆวานรังสรรค์, , ; usually shortened to "Makkhawan Bridge") is an historic bridge of inner Bangkok. The bridge spans Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem (Phadung Krung Kasem canal) ...

* Oriental Hotel * The first office of the Siam Commercial Bank * Phitsanulok Mansion *

Bang Khun Phrom Palace The Bang Khun Phrom Palace ( th, วังบางขุนพรหม) is a former royal residence in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the residence of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu until his forced exile following the Siamese revolution of 193 ...

(1906) * Suan Kularb Residential Hall and

Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall ( th, พระที่นั่งอภิเศกดุสิต; ) or the Thai Handicraft Museum is a Throne Hall located within Dusit Palace to use as a throne hall and banquet facilities for Dusit Palace. Its const ...

in the

Dusit Palace Dusit Palace ( th, พระราชวังดุสิต, RTGS: ''Phra Ratcha Wang Dusit'') is a compound of royal residences in Bangkok, Thailand. Constructed over a large area north of Rattanakosin Island between 1897 and 1901 by King C ...

* Hua Lamphong Railway Station (1907) * Neilson Hays Library (1920–22) Collaborations with

: *

Wat Benchamabophit Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram ( th, วัดเบญจมบพิตรดุสิตวนาราม; ) is a Buddhist temple ( wat) in the Dusit District of Bangkok, Thailand. Also known as the marble temple, it is one of Bangkok's bes ...

(under Prince

Narisara Nuvadtivongs Prince Chitcharoen, the Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong ( th, นริศรานุวัดติวงศ์ ; 28 April 1863 – 10 March 1947), Prince Naris for short, né Chitcharoen (), was a member of the royal family of Siam (now Thailand), ...

) * Nongkhran Samoson Hall in

Suan Sunanda Palace Suan can refer to: * Suan, Atlántico, Colombia * Sivan, East Azerbaijan, a village in Iran * Suan County Suan County is a county in North Hwanghae province, North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( ...

(1911) * Siam pavilion at the 1911

Turin International The Turin International was a world's fair held in Turin in 1911 titled ''Esposizione internazionale dell'industria e del lavoro''. It received 7,409,145 visits and covered 247 acres. Summary The fair opened on 29 April, was held just nine ye ...

world's fair. * Santa Cruz Church (1913, reconstruction), not mentioned in Mario Tamagno's records. * Thewarat Sapharom Throne Hall in the

Phaya Thai Palace The Phya Thai Palace ( th, วังพญาไท ''Wang Phaya Thai'') or Royal Phya Thai Palace ( ''Phra Ratcha Wang Phaya Thai'') is on the banks of the Samsen Canal ( ''Khlong Sam Sen'') on Rajavithee Road ( ''Thanon Ratchawithi'') in the ...

(c.1910)

References

* * Lohapon, Neungreudee. ''Buon fratello e Amico Thailandia-Italia : 140 Anni Di Relazioni Italo-Thailandesi - ภราดามหามิตร ไทย-อิตาลี : 140 ปี ความสัมพันธ์ไทย-อิตาลี''. published by The Royal Thai Embassy in Rome, printed by Amarin Printing and Publishing, Bangkok 2010. * * Tamagno, Elena. ''Mario Tamagno: Twenty-five years serving the court of Siam as an architect -มาริโอ ตามานโญ.ยี่สิบห้าปีแห่งการเป็นสถาปนิกในราชสำนักสยาม (๒๔๔๓-๒๔๖๘).'' in Muang Boran. vol. 24. no. 2 April–June 1998. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tamagno, Mario 20th-century Italian architects Italian expatriates in Thailand Expatriate architects in the Rattanakosin Kingdom Accademia Albertina alumni Accademia Albertina faculty 1877 births 1941 deaths