Luigi "Gino" Coppedè (26 September 1866 – 20 September 1927) was an Italian architect, sculptor and decorator. He was an exponent of

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

Biography

Coppedè was born in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, a son of Mariano Coppedè and brother of

Adolfo Coppedè Adolfo may refer to: * Adolfo, São Paulo, a Brazilian municipality * Adolfo (designer) Adolfo Faustino Sardiña (February 15, 1923 – November 27, 2021), professionally known as Adolfo, was a Cuban-born American fashion designer who started out a ...

(also an architect, and occasional collaborator. Adolfo's most notable solo project was the Castello Cova (also known as the Cova Viviani Palace) of

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

). Gino's early education was at a Pious School and later he attended the local Florentine School of Industrial Decorative Arts, where he graduated with a diploma. He at first worked in his father's woodcarving studio, between 1885 and 1890. It was here that his sculpture work developed and he came into contact with various influential Tuscan architects. In 1889 he married Beatrice, daughter of sculptor

Pasquale Romanelli Pasquale Romanelli (28 May 1812 – 11 February 1887) was an Italian sculptor, and apprentice of Lorenzo Bartolini. Personal life Born in Florence in 1812 to Luigi Romanelli and Beatrice Chelazzi. At a young age he was orphaned by his mother. Pa ...

with whom he had three daughters. His first main work was the

Mackenzie Castle The Mackenzie Castle (Italian: ''Castello Mackenzie'') is a historical manor in the Castelletto quarter of Genoa, northern Italy. It is an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Registered as a cultural spaceCastelletto quarter of

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

in 1890. The work was commissioned by Evan Mackenzie, a Genovese banker. This was to be his first major success, and as a result he moved his family to Genoa. Thanks to MacKenzie, he received a number of commissions; and during this period, he was an occasional member of the Municipal Council of Genoa, on the town planning commission. In 1891 he entered the

Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze The Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze () is an instructional art academy in Florence, in Tuscany, in central Italy. It was founded by Cosimo I de' Medici in 1563, under the influence of Giorgio Vasari. Michelangelo, Benvenuto Cellini and ...

where he became professor of architectural design. Between 1890 and 1893, Coppedé worked on Count Marquis Puccio's hunting castle "Villa Puccio" in Capriata d’Orba. The 1.900 sqm building is today known as Villa Val Lemme. Several academic organizations granted him honorary degrees. He was named "Academic of Merit" at the Accademia Ligustica of Genoa, later, Academician of the "Pietro Vannucci" Perugia Academy of Fine Arts, then Academician for the Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino" and also later assumed a doctorate from the Engineering School of Rome. Starting in 1917, Coppedè worked in Rome on a series of buildings in the Art Nouveau style, forming what would later be known as the

Quartiere Coppedè A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

("Coppedè Quarter"). In June of the same year he became a professor of general architecture at the

University of Pisa The University of Pisa (, UniPi) is a public university, public research university in Pisa, Italy. Founded in 1343, it is one of the oldest universities in Europe. Together with Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and Sant'Anna School of Advanced S ...

. Also in 1919 he was engaged in the construction of buildings in Messina under the patronage of the banking company Fratelli Cerruti

. That year he collaborated with his brothers on the decorative fitting out and furnishings of several ships owned by the

Lloyd Sabaudo The Lloyd Sabaudo was a Shipping transport line formed in Turin in 1906. It began passenger service in 1907, expanding to link Italy to ports in Asia as well as North and South America. In 1932 it merged with several other Italian shipping lines ...

and Cosulich Triestina Navigation Company. At this time

Gaetano Rapisardi Gaetano Rapisardi (6 October 1893 – 5 December 1988) was an Italian architect. Life and career After attending the Technical Schools in his hometown Syracuse, Rapisardi moved to Florence to study at the Faculty of Architecture, graduating aft ...

, the Sicilian architect who had married one of his daughters, worked with him on several projects in his Roman studio. In 1920 he designed the Palazzo Galli in

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

and the Villa Barsanti at

Pietrasanta Pietrasanta is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Pietrasanta is part of Versilia, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about north of Pisa. The town is located off the coast, where the ...

, among others. In April 1920 his wife died in Genoa and the following December his father, Mariano Coppedè. Gino, along with his brother Adolfo, then took over as directors of his father's studio "The House Artistica". Between 1920 and 1921 he worked together with Ing. Ugolotti and Ing. GL Mellucci on the preparations for a project to move the main railway station of Rome. In 1921, in collaboration with his brother Adolfo, during his sojourn in

Lierna Lierna is a ''comune'' in the province of Lecco in Lombardy, in north-west Italy. It lies on the eastern shore of Lake Como, about north of Milan and about north-west of Lecco. Lierna borders the comuni of Esino Lario, Mandello del Lari ...

he designed the Villa La Gaeta on

Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...

. Coppedè began building the palatial residence of the Marquess of Motilla in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

in 1924. In 1926 he was appointed resident professor "emeritus" at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence in Florence. He died in Rome on 20 September 1927 after suffering from

gangrene Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...

of the lungs after complications following surgery. He is buried in the family tomb at the cemetery of San Miniato in Florence.

Commissions

In Capriata d'Orba * Villa Val Lemme (Villa Puccio) 1890-1893 - Strada Val Lemme 16 In

: *

Castello Mackenzie The Mackenzie Castle (Italian: ''Castello Mackenzie'') is a historical manor in the Castelletto quarter of Genoa, northern Italy. It is an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Registered as a cultural space Staglieno Cemetery 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 ...

in 1904 * The Davidson Tomb 1904 – Staglieno Cemetery * Villa Dellepiane 1904–1905 – on a private road, via Piaggio 33 * Tomb of Ernesto Puccio 1905–1907 – Staglieno Cemetery] * Chapel of the Convent of the Sisters of Reparation (destroyed) in 1905 – via Curtatone * The Elsag Datamat office building Elsag Datamat, San Giorgio 1905–1906 – via L.Manara (

Sestri Ponente Sestri Ponente is an industrial suburb of Genoa in northwest Italy. It is part of the Medio Ponente ''municipio'' of Genoa. Geography It is situated on the Ligurian Sea four miles to the west of the city, between Pegli and Cornigliano. Its po ...

) * Villa Frisoni 1906 - Lupinari, 52021, Bucine AR, Italy * Villa Mario Canepa 1905–1906 – on a private road, via Piaggio 41 * Villa Martini 1905–1906 – Sal.Nuova NS del Monte 5A * Cottage Mackenzie 1905–1906 (destroyed in 1962) – Sal.Nuova NS del Monte 5C * Villino Queirolo 1906 – Sal.Nuova NS del Monte 5B * Villino Cogliolo 1906 – via Piaggio 44 * Palazzo Bogliolo 1906 – corso Firenze 9 * Palazzo Zuccarino 1906–1907 – via Maragliano 2 * Grand Hotel Miramare Genoa 1906–1908 – via Pagano Doria, Taormina * Entrance to the electric railway station, Principe – Granarolo 1908 – via the Lagaccio * Villa Micheli (Castle Bruzzo) 1904? -1910 – Via Piaggio 9 *

Palazzo della Meridiana A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

(internal restructuring) 1907? -1913 – Piazza della Meridiana * Hotel Eden (restructuring) in 1907? -1913 – Via Casotti * Chapel Borzino 1908–1910 – Staglieno Cemetery * Palazzo Pastorino 1900-1910 – Via B.Bosco 57 * Palazzo Zuccarino-Cerruti 1909–1912 – Via XX Settembre * Villino Bozzano 1910–1911 – Salita Nuova NS del Monte 5 * Adelina Davidson Nursery School 1911 – Pz. Carpaneto – Borgo Fornari – Ronco Scrivia (Ge) * Apartment Block (attributed) 1911–1912 – Via Francesco Sivori, 10, 16136 Genova * Apartment Profumo 1913–1914 – corso Italia 44 * Marina Exhibition and marinara Hygiene 1914 (destroyed) – Victory Square / Piazza Verdi * Tomb of Hector Moro 1913–1924 – Staglieno Cemetery * Villa Maria Cerruti 1914 – via Piaggio 31 * Chapel of Canali de Althaus 1921 – Staglieno Cemetery * Villa Canali Gaslini and gatehouse 1924–1925 * Villa Maria Cerruti 1924–1925 – via Piaggio 27 * Villa Strameri 1919–1927 – via Sforza 21A In

: * the Palazzo Galli to

Saint Lucia Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...

. * Design for the accommodation Monte Echia

Castel dell'Ovo Castel dell'Ovo ("Egg Castle") is a seafront castle in Naples, located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula, on the Gulf of Naples in Italy. The castle's name comes from a legend about the Roman Republic, Roman poet Virgil, who had a ...

* Borgo Marinari within the

Borgo Santa Lucia Borgo Santa Lucia, or simply Santa Lucia ("Saint Lucy orough), is a historical ''rione'' of Naples, Italy, facing the coast. The area rises around the street of the same name, in turn named after the basilica of , the presence of which is attest ...

. In

Messina Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...

: * The Palace Costarelli (1913) – via Tommaso Cannizzaro. The building was partially destroyed by bombing in World War II, rebuilt after the war. Of the original building only a loggia and little else remains * The

Palace Tremi A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

(also known as Palazzo del Gallo) 1914 – via Centonze, the intersection with Via Santa Cecilia * A building (also known as the Palazzo dello Zodiaco) – Piazza Duomo * Two Palaces for the Cerruti family of Genoa – Via Garibaldi In Rome: * The characterful group of houses in Rome (known as Coppedè) between Via Tagliamento and Piazza Buenos Aires is his design. * A building in Via Veneto 7, at the junction of Piazza Barberini, just behind the

Fontana delle Api Fontana delle Api (''Fountain of the Bees'') is a fountain located in the Piazza Barberini in Rome where the Via Veneto enters the piazza. It was sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and completed in April 1644. History Within months of the completi ...

. In

* The Villa Barsanti built between 1920 and 1922. In

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

: * Plans for a grand bathhouse around 1926, which was not realized. In Tuscany, near Bucine (

Arezzo Arezzo ( , ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Italy and the capital of the Province of Arezzo, province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of Above mean sea level, above sea level. As of 2 ...

): * The Lupinari Castle, the Cav. Luigi Frisoni Edward, project starting in 1906, and ending in 1908.The Lupinari Castle
/ref> In

Belém Belém (; Portuguese for Bethlehem; initially called Nossa Senhora de Belém do Grão-Pará, in English Our Lady of Bethlehem of Great Pará), often called Belém of Pará, is the capital and largest city of the state of Pará in the north of B ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

: * The Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth of Exile, project starting in 1909

Cultural references

Villa La Gaeta on

is featured as a film location for James Bond in Casino Royale.

Lyudmila Filipova Lyudmila Orlinova Filipova () (born April 10, 1977) is a Bulgarian novelist and journalist. Since 2006, Filipova has written seven novels, all of which have become best-sellers. In October 2011, a television team from National Geographic filmed a ...

in her book ''Dante's Antichthon'' published in 2010, has the main characters attempt to break the code of the Hidden City (the

("Coppedè Quarter")), built by Gino in Rome. In 2016

Jonathan Meades Jonathan Turner Meades (born 21 January 1947) is an English writer and film-maker. His work spans journalism, fiction, essays, memoir and over fifty television films, many for the BBC. He has described himself as a "cardinal of atheism" and i ...

in his

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

Art Documentary programme "Ben Building: Mussolini, Monuments and Modernism" (2016) attempted to create an

urban myth Urban legend (sometimes modern legend, urban myth, or simply legend) is a genre of folklore concerning stories about an unusual (usually scary) or humorous event that many people believe to be true but largely are not. These legends can be e ...

by claiming as a jest that the song

Geno Geno may refer to: People *Geno (given name), including a list of people with the name *Marián Geňo (born 1984), Czech footballer *Evgeni Malkin (born 1986), Russian ice hockey player nicknamed Geno Art and entertainment * "Geno" (song), a ...

by Dexys Midnight Runners was inspired by the architect.

References

External links

'' The modern buildings of Italy: the facades of buildings in the modern style: Genova ''
Torino, ed.Crudo, 1909.

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Coppede, Gino 1866 births 1927 deaths Architects from Florence Art Nouveau architects