The planning and construction of the Venaria Reale citroneria and stables complex and its front wing (1720-1729) were, for
Filippo Juvarra, an occasion to contend with the notion of ‘majestic’ architecture in the name of aspirations for a “measured
taste that equalled that of the ancient Roman noble”.
The impressive outsized construction and the shift in the building’s
meaning ensured by the magnificence of its architecture provoked an immediate reaction in the form of accusations from
the construction work, forced to work on a “construction project more appropriate to a magnificent temple, than a stables
and citroneria”. The sequential reconstruction of the planning process on the basis of the architect’s ‘thoughts’ reveals how, by
inventing a facade without the imposition of tradition, Juvarra managed to develop an eloquent expression of his idea of a
modern ‘romanitas’, starting with the generatrix figure on the triumphal arch.
Construction was a complex process that involved reflecting on the organisation of the space, the symbolic function of the facade and the expectations of the eye when faced with architecture conceived as a scenographic background to be viewed from
the gardens and reviewing images of traditional models. Juvarra was further stimulated by problems arousing from the unexpected emergence of the eaves. In the end, through this process and in a spectacular palimpsest of references, Juvarra created
an unprecedented image of a triumphal arch, a grandiose modern interpretation in the style of the “ancient Roman noble”.
