Until death do us part

A melancholic look at Carlo Scarpa’s most memorable work, the tomb created in memory of the late Giuseppe Brion, commissioned by his ever devoted wife Onorina Brion.

Born in Venice in 1906, Carlo Scarpa is celebrated as one of the most enigmatic and unconventional creatives of the 20th century. His masterpiece, the Brion Tomb, is more than a memorial; it is an architectural manifesto, encapsulating Scarpa’s convictions about life, death, and the role of architecture in expressing the human experience.

Nestled in the small cemetery of San Vito in Altivole, Treviso, the Brion Tomb is an architectural marvel, extending over 2,000 square meters and serving as both a family mausoleum and a public memorial. The Brion Tomb embodies Scarpa’s core beliefs and creative DNA, resulting in a harmonious blend of modernist architecture, byzantine influences and eastern philosophies, heavily influenced by the architect’s passion for Japan. The complex, built between 1970 and 1978, is a legacy of Scarpa’s mastery of architectural storytelling through symbolism. Through his narrative architecture, Scarpa meant to take us through a symbolic journey through life, death and rebirth. There is meaning behind every detail, and every element is important to the final story, where architecture serves as a bridge between the temporal and the eternal. The project allowed Scarpa an unparalleled freedom of expression, resulting in a complex that is both avant-garde yet surprisingly deeply rooted in tradition.

The Brion Tomb was commissioned by Onorina Brion in 1969, following the death of her husband, Giuseppe Brion, co-founder of the iconic Italian electronics company Brionvega. The couple were known for their significant contributions to industrial design. Scarpa accepted the commission with the understanding that Onorina would remain devoted to her late husband, a testament to the eternal love and commitment that the tomb was meant to commemorate.

The tomb’s layout is an L-shaped extension of the existing cemetery, with two entrances leading visitors to the central tomb. Visitors are welcomed by a weeping pine, which dramatically drapes over the concrete structure. The main entrance is marked by the iconic vesica piscis, two intersecting circles—one made of blue mosaics and the other of pink. This symbol represents the union of opposites, in this case the merging of Giuseppe and Onorina Brion’s souls. It is used as a viewing device in the tomb, acting as a window to see the surrounding landscape.

To the right you will find the meditation platform, a concrete island that seems to levitate in the middle of a pool, surrounded by water lilies. The access is reserved only to family members, and its passage is guarded by a glass gate acting as a drawbridge. This part of the structure can be interpreted as the “rebirth” part of the journey. Continuing to the left you will find the tomb itself. Inspired by the ancient Christian arcosolium, it features the side-by-side sarcophagi of Giuseppe and Onorina Brion, carved from a single block of marble. Each one has their respective name inlayed in ebony and ivory. The sarcophagi are designed to lean towards each other, symbolising the couple’s unbreakable bond. They rest sheltered beneath a concrete arch, adorned with Byzantine-inspired mosaics. Adjacent to the couple’s tomb there is a pyramidal structure reserved for other Brion family members.

“The geometry of the tomb was not dictated by architectural style but by a desire to create a space that connects with the emotional weight of the moment. I wanted to express the transcendence of life and death.” Carlo Scarpa

At the end of the journey, a path leads you to the final structure — the chapel. Inspired by Japanese tea rooms, its concrete walls are pierced by windows and slits that create optical illusions, playing with the reflections of sunlight and the surrounding water. The absence of religious or decorative elements lends the space a sense of minimalism and solemnity, which, in a paradoxical way, enhances its spiritual and peaceful atmosphere.

Carlo Scarpa’s Brion Tomb is not just a burial site; it is a sanctuary, a garden, and a testament to the enduring power of love and the transcendent potential of architecture. It is also the architect’s final resting place, a proof of his profound personal connection to the project. At his request, he is buried standing, in a simple white tomb adjacent to the Brion sanctuary. One could say that the Brion Tomb is not only a symbol of eternal devotion between husband and wife, but also between an artist and his craft.

“The tomb is a place where the living and the dead meet. It is not just a monument to the deceased, but a place that communicates with those who visit, inviting them to reflect and to remember.” Carlo Scarpa

Forget Me Not / Carlo Scarpa’s Brion Tomb in Treviso

Artist: Carlo Scarpa
Location: Brion Tomb, Treviso
Words: Camila Correa / @cami.correahg
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei

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