 The "Andrea Doria"-class ships were designed by naval architect Vice Admiral ("Generale del Genio navale") Giuseppe Valsecchi and were ordered in response to French plans to build the s. The design of the preceding s was generally satisfactory and was adopted with some minor changes.These mostly concerned the reduction of the superstructure by shortening the forecastle deck, the consequent lowering of the amidships gun turret and the upgrading of the secondary armament to sixteen guns in lieu of the eighteen guns of the older ships.The ships of the "Andrea Doria" class were long at the waterline, and overall.