Franchi plant, garage

Borgosesia (NO) – 1965

Architecture: Aldo Favini
Structures: Aldo Favini
Contractor: I.CO.R., Novara
Client: SALUMIFICIO FRANCHI

A 73-meter hangar; three spans of 5 meters (15.35 m) and six of 12.15 m made with prefabricated parts and brick infill.

Structural scheme
Thin vault roofing elements in prestressed reinforced concrete with stiffening plate, resting on the beam and pillar structure.

«…Even less time was needed for the roof of the garage of the Salumificio Franchi (one month): the most interesting structural element, again in this case, is that of the prefabricated and prestressed roofing segments. They have a T-shaped section with a flange measuring 2.5 m in width, with thickness of 6 cm, and a core with a thickness varying from 10 to 15 cm, in which the prestressing cables pass; they have a free span of 12 meters and rest on double-T beams, also precast. The connections between the core and the slab are elliptical and a cavity at the outer edge of the slab permits sealing of the joints; at the lower extremity of the core a guide makes it possible to suspend loads for a maximum intensity of 500 kg/lm. The roof, even with the extreme simplification of the parts, determines the character of the architectural complex with the large overhangs of the double-T beams, treated with particular care for their appearance in the terminal section; above the beams one glimpses the curved flange of the end tile.»

From A.I.T.E.C., 1966.

Publications
• In “Atti del V Congresso Internazionale del Precompresso (F.I.P.), Parigi 1966, A.N.I.C.A.P., Realizzazioni italiane in cemento armato precompresso 1962-1966”, published by A.I.T.E.C., 1966.