Torre Velasca, Milan – Miniature Concrete Model

Model 082_Torre Velasca, Milan – Miniature Concrete Model
Hand-cast in fine concrete. Shaped by memory.

Some buildings transform a skyline, then refuse to leave your mind. Torre Velasca is one of Milan’s most unforgettable forms.

Rising above Piazza Velasca in the historic centre, this 1950s tower by BBPR was opened in 1958.  Its famous “mushroom” silhouette is not a gimmick. The upper floors flare out over a narrower shaft, echoing Lombard medieval towers and fortifications, reinterpreted through post-war modernism. 

Part office building, part apartments, it has long been debated, defended, photographed, and used as a marker of the moment Milan stepped into a new architectural era while still talking to its past. 

I love Torre Velasca for the way it holds weight above the street, with those braced supports and deep shadows beneath the overhang. Translating that into a miniature meant getting the stance right: the narrow body, the sudden flare, and the rhythm of openings that makes the tower feel both severe and strangely familiar. I iterated the proportions carefully so the finished cast still reads as a confident Milan landmark from every angle.

A small cast of a tower that keeps the city’s old and new in the same frame.

Features
• Solid cast concrete, individually hand-poured
• 10cm high, 4.5cm wide, 4.5cm deep (approx)
• Laser-etched cork base with building name
• Comes gift-boxed for the perfect concrete gift
• Designed, modelled, and finished in the UK

For architects, Milan locals, design travellers, and Brutalism lovers who collect places through buildings. It sits on your desk or shelf like a skyline keepsake, bringing back the feeling of turning a corner in the historic centre and seeing that top-heavy crown against the light.

15% off when you order two or more models

EU customers: please order via my Etsy shop due to customs regulations

Building Information

Location: Milan, Italy 
Architect: BBPR (Banfi, Belgiojoso, Peressutti, Rogers)
Completed: 1958
Status: Recent restoration and re-opening, historically protected

Brief Overview:
Designed in the post-war rebuilding era, Torre Velasca became a defining BBPR project and a rare modern vertical landmark in Milan’s historic skyline. Its widened upper section and braced structure reinterpret local medieval tower forms through modern construction, creating a building that still sparks strong opinions and deep affection in equal measure. 

ALL EU ORDERS processed through our Etsy Store HERE

My concrete sculptures are individually hand cast in solid concrete. This means that each piece will have distinctive markings and minor blemishes due to air bubbles in the concrete. This is a natural part of the material and will mean that no two pieces are ever exactly the same.

Shipping:
I aim to make and ship your artwork within 30 days. If you require your order by a specific date before this please let me know.

Express shipping options at checkout for additional costs