Edoardo Gellner in Cortina d'Ampezzo. From Palazzo Telve to Luce delle Dolomiti

Edoardo Gellner played a key role in 20th-century Italian architectural scene. As soon as he arrived in Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the 1940s, Gellner fell in love with the unique charm of this place, its rural architecture, and the imposing mountains surrounding it, so he soon settled there. In 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo was chosen as the venue of the first Winter Olympic Games held in Italy. As a consequence, local institutions felt the urge to provide the small city, already a prestigious destination for international tourism, with avant-garde infrastructure. With his cultured and original language, Gellner became one of the leading figures of this urban renewal by designing some important structures, including Palazzo Telve, at that time headquarters of Società Telefonica delle Venezie. More than 60 years after its construction, the building, included in the lists of the Veneto twentieth century architectures in Territorial Regional Coordination Project, underwent a careful renovation brought about by the new owner, Lir, holding founded by its President Mario Moretti Polegato. During the refurbishment, they adopted innovative solutions while preserving the original and distinctive features of the building. Thus, Luce delle Dolomiti was born. This book tells the story of Palazzo Telve, as well as a piece of the recent history of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Rich in photographs, it illustrates the phases of the renovation, which helped not only to enhance the building and the surrounding area, but to carry out in-depth studies on this fundamental architect and his work as well.