At Optima®, we are deeply inspired by the timeless tenets of Modernism—principles that extend far beyond architecture and into the realms of sculpture, painting, and design. Few artists embody these ideals as poetically and powerfully as Andrea Cascella, an Italian sculptor and architect whose work explored the relationship between material, form, and space with reverence and restraint.
Born in Pescara, Italy, in 1919 into a family of painters, Andrea Cascella inherited an early love for the arts—but it was stone, not canvas, that would become his lifelong medium. He trained initially as a painter before shifting his focus to sculpture, finding in the tactile solidity of marble and granite a path to express something elemental and enduring. Like many Modernist pioneers, Cascella sought to pare down his forms to their essential qualities, allowing material and proportion to speak volumes without ornamentation.
Cascella’s mature work is perhaps best understood through the lens of architectural integration. Much like the vision behind Optima®’s buildings—where form, function, and landscape are in constant dialogue—Cascella conceived of his sculptures not just as isolated objects, but as living components of space. His large-scale works are often placed outdoors, engaging directly with their environment. Whether positioned in a civic plaza or within a natural landscape, his sculptures encourage viewers to move around them, to observe the interplay of light, shadow, and scale from every angle.
This is particularly evident in his most iconic works, such as the Monumento ai Caduti di Kindu in Pisa, created in 1966 to commemorate the Italian aviators killed in the Congo. The monument’s geometric abstraction, constructed in pink granite and shaped like a massive horizontal arch, communicates solemnity and reverence without relying on figuration. The structure’s clean lines and precise engineering exemplify Cascella’s deep belief in Modernist ideals: that simplicity, material truth, and spatial awareness could convey meaning more powerfully than symbolism alone.
Cascella’s art aligns with a broader European post-war effort to redefine beauty and public life through the language of Modernism. His aesthetic is akin to that of architects like Carlo Scarpa and designers like Alvar Aalto—those who found spiritual resonance in tactile surfaces and honest craftsmanship. He was also part of a broader artistic movement in Italy that sought to recover and reinterpret ancient materials—like travertine and basalt—within a modernist vocabulary, affirming continuity between past and present.
This philosophy resonates strongly at Optima®, where architecture is not a backdrop but an active participant in daily life. Just as Cascella’s stone works invite interaction and contemplation, our spaces are designed to support seamless movement, dynamic light, and emotional connection. The relationship between natural materials and modern forms—a signature of both Cascella’s sculptures and Optima®’s residences—is key to creating environments that feel at once grounded and forward-looking.
Cascella passed away in 1990, but his work continues to stand as a quiet force across Italy and beyond. In public parks, cultural institutions, and civic plazas, his sculptures remain meditative, monumental, and unmistakably modern. They remind us that beauty can be both austere and generous, and that Modernism—far from being a historical style—is a living ethos.
At Optima®, we are proud to celebrate artists like Andrea Cascella, whose work expands the vocabulary of Modernism and continues to shape the way we see, feel, and inhabit space. His legacy is a powerful reminder that thoughtful design—whether architectural or sculptural—has the power to elevate everyday life.
