Place: Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD), Lungomare Trieste, 5
Author: Aldo Bernardis
Chronology: 1964 | 1970
Itinerary: Italy goes on vacation
Use: Pier and facilities
Terrazza a Mare is an equipped pier that stretches out into the Adriatic Sea, characterizing the coastline of the Lignano Sabbiadoro seaside resort in Udine province. A long, partly-covered catwalk suspended on pilotis continues the urban axis of Viale Gorizia onto the beach, ending in two white architectural elements with large vaulted roofs and a belvedere with a small lighthouse.
The double structure’s bar and restaurant is among the most famous on the coast, surrounded by a terrace that offers a 360° panoramic view.
The design seems a happy combination of different inspirations drawn from the grammar of the masters of modern architecture. The main block’s iconic cover, which recalls the image of a fan or a shell, seems to be inspired by the neo-expressionist lexicon of Niemeyer’s architecture or the Sydney Opera House.
The main element’s vaults act as a counterpoint to that of the accessory element, an oversized roof tile laid on the pier like a surrealist objet trouvé.
The covered walkway leading from the coastline to the belvedere is an elegant citation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Civic Center.
From the potentially uninterrupted sequence of the pier’s arches, as in a kaleidoscope, the visitor can enjoy the views of the Friulian coastal landscape.