Casa Comolli-Rustici is a residential building in Milan’s Isola district, designed by architects Pietro Lingeri and Giuseppe Terragni and completed in 1938. Built between 1934 and 1938, the structure exemplifies Italian Rationalist principles and was commissioned by the Rustici family for middle- to lower-class rental apartments.
The building occupies a corner lot at the intersection of Via Guglielmo Pepe and Via Cola Montano. The asymmetrical configuration of the site—one street fronted by railway installations, the other more constrained—permitted the architects to articulate two distinct heights: seven storeys along Via Pepe and four storeys along Via Cola Montano. The design employs characteristic Rationalist materials and vocabulary, including reinforced concrete, extensive glazed surfaces, and metal detailing.
Though never published in contemporary architectural journals, Casa Comolli-Rustici represents an important collaborative work within the oeuvre of both architects, who had previously designed a luxury family residence on Corso Sempione for the same patrons.
About Pietro Lingeri
Pietro Lingeri (1894–1968) was a founding member of the Movimento Italiano per l’Architettura Razionale (MIAR) in 1930, following his graduation from the Brera Academy in Milan. His practice was defined by the systematic use of modern materials and geometric clarity. After World War II, he focused on residential housing projects in Milan’s QT8 and Vialba districts.
Details
- Architects: Pietro Lingeri and Giuseppe Terragni
- Location: Via Guglielmo Pepe 32, corner with Via Cola Montano, Isola district, Milan
- Completed: 1938
- Style: Italian Rationalism
- Use: Residential rental apartments
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Casa Comolli-Rustici?
The building was designed by Pietro Lingeri and Giuseppe Terragni, both prominent figures in Italian Rationalism. Lingeri was a founding member of MIAR (1930), and the two architects had previously collaborated on a luxury residence for the Rustici family on Corso Sempione.
When was it built and why?
Casa Comolli-Rustici was constructed between 1934 and 1938 for the Rustici family, who commissioned it as a rental residential building for middle- to lower-class tenants in the popular Isola neighbourhood.
Why is it less well-known than other works by these architects?
The building was never published in the architectural journals of its era, which prevented it from achieving the recognition accorded to other designs by Lingeri and Terragni.