About the Internationality of Urbanism. The Influence of International Town Planning Ideas upon Marcello Piacentini's Work.

Abstract

Architecture and urbanism generated under dictatorship are often understood as a materialization of political thoughts. We are therefore tempted to believe the nationalist rhetoric that accompanied many urban projects of the early 20th century. Taking the example of Marcello Piacentini, the most successful architect in Italy during the dictatorship of Mussolini, the article traces how international trends in civic design and urban planning affected the architect s work. The article aims to show that architectural and urban form cannot be taken as genuinely national whether or not it may be called Italian or fascist . Concepts and forms underwent a versatile transformation in history, were adapted to specific needs and changed their meaning according to the new context. The challenge is to understand why certain forms are chosen in a specific case and how they were used to create displays that offer new modes of interpretation.