Drawings by Scarpa, Pastor and Botta

The Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a layered architectural masterpiece, grafting 20th century works onto the historical 16th century home. The building itself is a palimpsest, revealing layers of history and architectural innovation.

The Querini Stampalia Foundation preserves a precious collection of 20th-century architectural drawings by Carlo Scarpa, Valeriano Pastor, and Mario Botta.

Following the digitization, the Foundation obtained funding from the Ministry of Culture for the cataloging and promotion of the 371 drawings: 90 by Scarpa, 45 by Botta, and 236 by Pastor.

Since the Second World War, the three architects have contributed decisively to the transformation of the Querini, redefining historic spaces and creating new rooms that balance innovation and respect for the architectural context.

In the 1980s, Valeriano Pastor initiated a major functional reorganization of Palazzo Querini Stampalia, creating new museum installations and structural interventions.

He designed a staircase that became a central element of the distribution system, an entrance with a gate inspired by Scarpa, but reinterpreted with his own materials—Istrian stone, brick, and metal—and a suspension bridge with a copper roof, connecting two buildings.

In the 1990s, Mario Botta completed the redevelopment by working on the new wing on the ground floor.

It aims to preserve Scarpa's work from regulatory adjustments, operating in continuity with his language through essential lines and material contrasts (stone and metal, black and white, grey and red).