ECSD: The Legacy of Prof. Eng. Franco Mola

Founder and constant source of inspiration for the professional ethics of ECSD Srl is Prof. Franco Mola (1946-2022). Today, ECSD proudly and humbly continues to tackle every design challenge following his teachings.

Born in 1946 in Olgiate Olona, ​​(VA), he graduated in Civil Engineering (Structures section) at the Polytechnic of Milan in 1971. From 1973 to 1979 he was Ordinary Assistant for Structural Projects at the Department of Structural Engineering, Polytechnic of Milan ; in 1979 he then became Associate Professor of Structural Design at the same Department. From 1986 to 1989 he was Extraordinary Professor of Construction Techniques, University Institute of Architecture of Venice and finally in 1989 he became Full Professor of 'Theory and Design of Constructions in Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete', at the Department of Structural Engineering of the Polytechnic of Milan, course which later became 'Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete Construction', currently belonging to the ABC (Architecture and Building Construction) Department of the Polytechnic of Milan and taught in English with the title 'R.c. and p.c. structures'. During his long academic career, he was also the owner of an Architecture Construction Laboratory II, at the Faculty of Architecture of the Polytechnic of Milan, on the integrated design of tall buildings, as well as owner of the Teaching and Coordinator of research topics concerning the long-term analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete constructions at the Master in Reinforced Concrete Constructions, Department of Structural Engineering, Polytechnic of Milan. He has also held PhD courses, with a theme concerning the structural design of tall buildings and special structures, at the ABC Department of the Polytechnic of Milan. His research activity is documented in more than 250 works published in journals and in the proceedings of national and international conferences. The main research topics addressed concern: long-term structural effects in reinforced and pre-stressed concrete structures; the analysis and design of tall buildings; limit state analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures; the analysis of slender reinforced concrete frame structures in the presence of second order phenomena; the analysis and design of bridges and viaducts with mixed steel and concrete sections; the analysis and design of prefabricated structures for industrial and tertiary buildings; the repair, adaptation and restoration of reinforced concrete structures; investigations, theoretical models and experimental analyzes for the design of restoration procedures for monumental buildings. Parallel to his academic career, Prof. Mola, in his decades-long professional career, has designed, directed and tested numerous civil and infrastructural works, including buildings of considerable importance and complexity. He held the position, among others, of Structural Designer for the executive and construction design, supervision and assistance at the construction site and coordination of the design of three of the tallest buildings in Italy: Palazzo Lombardia (161.3m) in Milan, New Office Building Torre Regione Piemonte (211m) in Turin, Torre Allianz (205m), part of the CityLife complex in Milan. He has also held positions of Static and Technical Administrative Testing of large civil and infrastructural works and complex engineering consultancy on various specific topics, linked to the structural effects of the rheology of concrete, to construction problems of tall and/or complex buildings, to the instability of elements slim etc. Among the most significant ones, the role of Structural Designer of the New S. Anna Hospital in Como, of the Verona Telecommunications Tower, of numerous shopping centers in Milan and Lombardy, of the multi-storey car park on the Tronchetto island in Venice, the underground car park in Piazza della Repubblica in Varese and the multi-storey car park in Lampugnano in Milan, the task of static and technical administrative testing of the New Hospital of Vimercate and the New Hospital of Garbagnate. Among the construction management tasks of the Structural Works carried out we also mention the new Mercedes-Benz Headquarters in Milan and the Sant'Anna Hospital in Como. “

In Memory, Olgiate Olona, 01-24-1946 – Milan, 10-22-2022