CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2024
| Author | Nagaoka, Chisa |
|---|---|
| Title | Historical Consciousness through Fascist-era Architecture in Contemporary Italy: How Can Local Authorities Come to Terms with the Fascist Past? |
| Summary | During the fascist period, especially in the 1930s and 1940s, numerous architectural projects were conducted by the regime to use for its propaganda. Most of them still remain and are used for various purposes in today’s Italian society, and the reason and importance of their preservation and utilization are still in discussion. This thesis contributes to considerations of how the past of fascism is perceived in today’s Italy by focusing on fascist-era architecture. To approach this question, the main aim of this thesis is to analyze how local authorities can express the past of fascism to the public through the era’s architecture. Debates surrounding fascist-era architecture since the post-war period are organized in Chapter I. In this thesis, the method of ‘critical preservation’ of fascist-era architecture, that is, preservation with contextualizing and providing a tool to interpret it, is pursued. In this consideration, ‘riseman tization’ ;, that is, giving new meaning to fascist-era architecture, is one of the key concepts. In particular, from the case studies of Bolzano/Bozen, Forlì, and Perugia, discussed in Chapter II, the importance of this concept for critical preservation can be seen. Chapter III takes up the principle object of this thesis, the Palace of Italian Civilization (Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana) in the district of EUR, Rome, and tries to propose the way of its critical preservation. This whole district and the monumental building have been considered as one of the most representative and impressive examples of fascist-era architecture and fascism’s urban development project, but no effective measures to come to terms with the fascist past have been made by the local authority so far. Rather, this building is often valued with de-politicized and de-fascistized perspectives. Here, the concept of ‘palimpsest’ is also discussed to think about the means of critical preservation of the Palace. Through applying this concept, too much emphasis on the ‘fascist’ aspect of this building’s context can be avoided, so that its multilayered meanings and memories can be contextualized. The peculiarities of this case – the fact that a certain level of the artistic value is admitted, and that this building is temporarily managed by a private enterprise of the fashion brand FENDI – can be overcome. Regarding these concepts and points, this thesis proposes to install panels around the building for ‘critical preservation’ of the Palace of Italian Civilization, with clear explanations about the historical background of its construction, its evaluation from artistic and architectural points of view, and its use after the regime. Although it cannot be the ultimate solution because the situation surrounding this building will continue to change, this thesis argues that in the current situation where the whole building is used as an office and is closed to the public, this approach of paneling may be the most feasible solution. |
| Supervisor | Venuti, Lorenzo |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2024/nagaoka_chisa.pdf |
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