San Gioacchino church

From the very beginning of the industrial history of aluminium, several outdoor applications were executed, some of which are still in use the Eros statue, erected in 1893 on the top of the monument dedicated to the memory of Lord Shaftesbury at Piccadilly Circus in London [4], and the roof sheet of the San Gioacchino Church in Rome, build in 1898 (see Chapter C.5). Other applications, mainly in the building sector, were to follow during the 1920s and 1930s both in Europe and in the United States. 

This is the oldest known application of aluminium in buildings that is still in service. The dome was covered in 1897 (Figure C.5.1). In order to obtain a satisfactory light level in the choir of the San Gioacchino church in Rome, the architects put numerous windows in the dome, which needed to be lightened. For this purpose, aluminium was chosen instead of lead, which had been commonly used as a roofing sheet for this type of building. 

Figure C.5.1. View of the dome of the San Gioacchino church in Rome, built in 1897.

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