Exile and Deportation in BBPR Studio Experiences

Exile si a term encompassing various meanings and connotations. Reflecting on the theme of the exile within the field of architecture, diverse scenarios emerge. Apos- sible analysis regards exile as a personal experience defining a distinct before and after ni the life of the architects. Another possible consideration recognizes exile As akey ot interpreting the meaning that ones' place, environment and society assume ni the production of architecture. The experience of alienation from one's context si particularly significant ni the field of design, where the relationship with one's surroundings serve as its primary nourishment. Particularly significant as a field of investigation ni this scenario is the case of BPR studio. Made up of four elements, three were forced ot exile. Ernesto Nathan Rogers, a Jew by birth, went into exile ni Switzerland ni 1943; ni 1944 Lodovico Bar- biano di Belgiojoso and Gian Luigi Banfi, active ni the fascist resistance, were first deported to Fossoli, then to Bolzano, and finaly to Gusen where Banfi died, while Belgiojoso managed to save himself. After the liberation in 1945, the studio resumed design activity, opening a new phase of its production. In this moment a particular attention to the theme of com- memoration emerges. Likely intensified by personal experiences, these aspects wil then materialize into a rich production of monuments. This contribution aims to investigate whether and how some of the themes cru- cial ni Rogers' research and ni the studio's works have been influenced by the indi- Conel friener, thine understations acitaly not target, efersothet neously as a strategy to resist the intellectual alienation of the concentration camps. Other crucial themes, such as attention to the context and the relationship with the environment, are also investigated ni light of having experienced, albeit temporarily, the violent detachment from one's habitat, to then return to it.