Carlo Scarpa’s Brion Tomb: A Complex of Peace and Poetry
On the road from Asolo to Castelfranco, the family tomb garden, designed by architect Carlo Scarpa Brion, is worth a visit.
Commissioned by Scarpa’s widow, Onorina Brion Tomasin, after the sudden death of her beloved husband, Giuseppe Brion, the structure embraces the cemetery of the village of San Vito di Altivole, representing a path of commemoration, silence, and reflection.
Construction of the complex began in 1970 and ended in 1978, the year of the architect’s death in an accident while in Japan. The work was later completed based on the architect’s designs, where he was also buried, as requested in his will, at a point where his monumental creation joins the old municipal cemetery.
The entire structure is conceived and designed with the viewer in mind: the perimeter wall allows a view of the bell tower of the old village church and the Asolo hills.
The work represents the synthesis of the master’s diverse experiences in working with bare reinforced concrete combined with other materials, blended with Zen philosophy and Japanese art.
It’s no wonder, then, that this work has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world for decades: the sense of peace that Scarpa’s garden emanates is priceless.