HISTORY

TEKNE has been synonymous with advanced specialization and reliability for over 150 years. During this period, we have carried out projects of significant relevance in all sectors of construction and integrated design, helping to define the history of Italian and international architecture and engineering through the creation of iconic and distinctive landmarks.

Stabilimento Barilla a Parma, Carlo Rusconi Clerici

Our specialization and innovative approach have their roots in 1875, when Giulio Rusconi-Clerici began his engineering career after graduating from the Politecnico di Milano. The tradition of ecellence has been handed down through the generations of the Rusconing Clerici Family, strengthening a long-standing know-how.

TEKNE, led then by Carlo Rusconi-Clerici, marked a period of remarkable growth during the years of the economic miracle, contributing to the planning of new industrial hubs in several regions of southern Italy. Our company has proved itself as a key player in the pioneering development of the integrated engineering in Italy and abroad.

Our history is characterised by collaborations with renowned Italian and international architects, cultimating in projects of considerable architectural and engineering value. Today, TEKNE continues to lead ambitious projects of diverse sizes with passion and competence, facing challenges in the civil, structural and plant engineering fields.

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A HISTORY OF CONTINUOUS INNOVATION

FOUNDATION

Giulio Rusconi Clerici (25 March 1848 – 08 August 1918) started his own engineering firm after graduating from the Regio Politecnico di Milano.
His design activity stood out for its important contribution to the railway development of Brianza, designing the works and managing the construction sites for numerous routes, holding managerial roles in the Compagnia Anonima per le Ferrovie della Bianza Centrale.

Proposta di progetto per una Stazione a Milano, in Piazza Cadorna - Ing. G.Rusconi Clerici (1888)

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THE FIRST SKYSCRAPER IN ITALY

After opening his own studio (1908), Giuseppe Rusconi Clerici (16 July 1883 - 25 October 1961) directed the construction site of Torre 1 of the "Twin Skyscrapers", a project by Marco Borgato and precursor of the Milanese skyscrapers.
Among the most famous designs from Rusconi Clerici and Macchi, where technological and constructive innovation is a peculiar mark, stands out Casa Macchi, a Liberty masterpiece in Milano.

I Grattacieli Gemelli negli anni ‘30. A sinistra la Torre 1, progetto di Giuseppe Rusconi Clerici e Gerardo Macchi

FROM THE TRIENNALE TO INDUSTRY

The engineer Giulio Rusconi Clerici (12 June 1913 - 26 March 2006) is among the figures involved in the design of the experimental QT8 district which he presents at the VII Triennale di Milano, collaborating with Luigi Fratino, Ignazio Gardella, Luigi Mattioni and Piero Bottoni.

The professionalism of Studio Rusconi Clerici is recognized with the project of the Fabbrica a Solari in Udine (1948-1960) which marks the beginning of the professional friendship between Giuseppe Valtolina and Carlo Rusconi Clerici.

1947: VII Triennale of Milan: Type structure for QT8 complex. Giulio Rusconi Clerici is one of the curators.

COLLABORATIONS AND TEKNE

Studio Rusconi-Clerici establishes itself as a reliable partner for industrial engineering design, initiating collaborations with renowned architects such as Franco Albini, Vico Magistretti and Vittorio Gregotti. Carlo Rusconi-Clerici signed important industrial projects on the Italian scene, including the Perugina Factory (1961-1963) in Perugia, the Pirelli towers in Lainate (1961-1963), the Barilla factory in Parma(1970), the Giovanni Buton Distillery ( 1970-1971).
In 1958 Roberto Guidotti, architect and urban planner, founded Tekne, a company specializing in consultancy for architectural services, and chose Carlo Rusconi Clerici among the managers. The first Tekne will be one of the first companies in Italy capable of operating in an interdisciplinary manner in the fields of engineering, urban planning and economics.

Industrial Hub for Telecomunications (Siemens San Siro). Project by Carlo Rusconi Clerici (1958)

VALTOLINA RUSCONI CLERICI (VRC)

VRC Spa, founded in January, is one of the first pioneering Italian engineering companies, consolidating the long professional collaboration between Giuseppe Valtolina and Carlo Rusconi Clerici. The activity of the new company brings together the professionalism, projects and important collaborative relationships developed in previous years by the two professionals, including the Pirelli Skyscraper (1958-1960) and the Unilever Tower (1960). In the same year VRC collaborated with Tekne for the construction management of the Milan underground line, both for Line 1 (1962-1964) and for Line 2 (1964-1969). During this period, Bob Noorda designed the iconic Tekne logo. Both companies will be among the founders of OICE: Category Organization of Engineering and Consulting Companies.

aGeneral View of Torre Bonnet (Torre Unilever), project by Carlo Rusconi Clerici (1962)

THE BARILLA PLANTS IN PARMA

Having completed the construction site of the Barilla factory, characterized by refined architectural and technological solutions, V.C.R. consolidates its activity as an integral technical design studio.
The extensive and documented activity of the V.C.R. as an integral design technical studio it includes buildings, factories, industrial buildings and laboratories. Among these: Pirelli, S.I.R.T.I., Siemens, S.T.I.A., Unilever, Singer, Alitalia, C.N.E.N., Euratom, Farmaceutici Midy, Recordati, Autelco, Buitoni, Bassetti, C.G.E., Manifatture Vergani, Remington, Perugina, Artigo, I.N.C.E.T., Tecnomasio, I.B.M. and others.

Maquette of Stabilimento Barilla in Parma. Project by C. Rusconi Clerici for VRC (1970)

TO THE FUTURE

After the death of Giuseppe Valtolina (1972) and with the liberalization of consulting engineering companies, VRC and Tekne merged in 1974 and the story of today's TEKNE begins. The company inherits a century of history and is committed to continuous innovation. In 1982, TEKNE became the first Italian user to implement CAD in design, using the first Hewlett Packrard HP-1000 station for the application of two-dimensional vector drawing.

A Hewlett Packrard HP-1000 like the one owned by TEKNE (1982 ca.)

ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE

AND URBAN REGENERATION

TEKNE, with the new guide Francesco Rusconi-Clerici (30 June 1946 - 10 January 2016), oriented its activities, during the Nineties and the 2000s, towards the management of articulated and complex projects; a commitment to large urban transformation processes such as the project for the Garibaldi Repubblica and Isola area in Milan, that for the former Michelin area in Trento, and the Malpensa 2000 project, consolidating its presence as a point of reference for the Milan area and expertise in the sector of complex and integrated engineering works.

The ability to manage the entire integrated design and management cycle of the construction of complex buildings is now consolidated.

Malpensa Cargo City, a project by TEKNE SpA under Francesco Rusconi Clerici (Nineties)

GREEN AND EFFICIENT INNOVATION

TEKNE joins the Green Building Council Italia, one year after the birth of the Green Building division, specialized in integrated engineering services and consultancy for sustainable design, for the management of certification processes according to the major international protocols (LEED, BREEAM, etc. ). The Industries division follows in 2013, for integrated engineering in the industrial sector.

Progetto Malpensa Cargo City, progetto di TEKNE SpA a guida Francesco Rusconi Clerici (anni ‘90)

INTEGRATED DESIGN IN BIM

Tekne reaches the goal of 80% of projects integrated in Building Information Modeling (BIM) in just two years from the introduction of this methodology. After CAD in 1982 and the first computers, TEKNE continues its commitment to innovative work systems..

BIM technical drawings for an 5* Hotel in Porta Romana. Project by TEKNE, 2017

TEKNE GROUP

With Laura Rusconi-Clerici at the helm since 2013, the commitment to achieving new European Green standards and protocols is growing. TEKNE Bio was born in 2018, dedicated to the installation and maintenance of heating systems: it joins TEKNE ESCo, a company founded in 2014 and specialized in innovative integrated services for energy efficiency in the residential, tertiary and industrial sectors.

TEKNE ESCo offices in Milan, Italy.

B-CORP CERTIFIED COMPANY

TEKNE obtains B-Corp certification in 2023, after joining FSE ITALIA SCARL in 2016, an association for the promotion of Fire Safety Engineering, and joining R204, a venture capital fund for investments in innovative companies with high potential .
We currently count on a team of over 150 professionals, guaranteeing maximum design professionalism and a work environment that respects human value and the environment.