Tangible Metamorphoses, Intangible Changes. The War Memorial Dedicated to the Victims of the Nazi Concentration Camps in the Monumental Cemetery in Milan

In the rapid transformation process of the 20th century architecture, there are not only tangible metamorphoses caused by materials’ degeneration, but also intangible changes due to meanings’ modification. An emblematic example is the War Memorial dedicated to the victims of the Nazi concentration camps in the Monumental Cemetery in Milan. Built in a season of trauma due to the horrors of the Second World War, this monument honours the concentration camps’ victims. At the same time, it represents the translation in built form of a spirit of continuity related to the results of the figurative experiences developed between the two wars. Designed by BBPR studio, the War Memorial is marked by significant events linked to the metamorphoses of the monument over time. Indeed, three are the versions conceived and realised by the same authors. The continuity of change of the building can have a dual explanation: on the one hand, there is the tangible metamorphosis of the monument due to the rapid degeneration of industrially-produced materials; on the other hand, there are the intangible changes of the building due to the transformation of its meanings. In fact, if the first re-construction is caused by the accelerated ageing process of industrially-produced materials, the transition from the second to the third version is closely related to the desire of replacing a writing and, with it, a message: the monument is not dedicated to the victims of “the German camps” but to those of “the Nazi concentration camps”.