Come mare increspato da piccole onde: le coperture a volta sottile di Felice Bertone per l'architettura industriale

The rapid industrial development that characterised the second half of the 20th century in Italy led to the spread of an increasing number of production facilities across the country, which soon became the focus of the professional activity of many architects and engineers. The need to ensure optimal natural lighting for work surfaces and maximum flexibility in the use of interior spaces directed designers' attention to roofing. It became a fascinating field for technical experimentation: during these years the use of thin reinforced concrete vaults with extremely innovative solutions was established. In this perspective, the work of engineer Felice Bertone, a unique figure as a designer and building contractor, takes on particular significance. Known for his decisive contribution to the roofing solution for the Teatro Regio in Turin, Bertone stood out for his professional commitment to perfecting thin vaulted roofs, composed of self-supporting elements, shaped as hyperbolic paraboloids. His experimentation resulted in two patents and found its main field of application in industrial architecture. Considering the contemporary technical context, the paper analyses his patent proposals and some of his most significant works, drawing on the rich archive documentation preserved at the Politecnico di Torino.