BENITO MUSSOLINI

RULED FROM 1922 TO 1943.

FROM EXECUTIVE ROLE OF PRIME
MINISTER TO DICTATORSHIP
FASCISM AND IDEALISM INSTEAD OF
DEMOCRACY
HISTORICAL PRIDE AND SENSE OF
NATIONALISM OF IMPERIAL ROME
INTRODUCED, BY IMITATING THE
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
ORIGIN OF FASCISM

VISION OF A STRONG, UNIFIED,
AND ECONOMICALLY STABLE
NATION AFTER THE DESTRUCTION
AFTER WORLD WAR I,
CONTRIBUTING IN THE RISE OF
FASCISM AND CORPORATISM.

BY THE MIDDLE OF THE 18TH CENTURY, ITALIAN
ARCHITECTS BEGAN TURNING TOWARDS THE
GRANDEUR AND SIMPLICITY OF THE CLASSICAL ERA,
IN CONTRAST TO THE BAROQUE AND ROCOCO STYLE.
MUSSOLINI MADE A SPIRITED ATTEMPT TO BRING
BACK ANCIENT ROME IN WHAT CAN ONLY BE CALLED
FASCIST ARCHITECTURE.
THIS PERIOD PRODUCED MONUMENTALLY IMPOSING
AND CHILLINGLY STARK WHITE MARBLE
STRUCTURES SURROUNDED BY CLASSICAL
STATUARY.


FASCISM IN ITALY
CASA DEL FASCIO of
COMO- The Glass House Of
Fascism
CONSTRUCTION: 1932-36
ARCHITECT: GUISEPPE
TERRAGNI
(RATIONALIST)
STUDIED CLASSICAL AND
RENAISSANCE MASTERS,
INCLUDING VITRUVIUS
AND MICHELANGELO.

USE OF GLASS TO SIGNIFY CLARITY AND
HONESTY IN CONSTRUCTION

MODERN CLASSICISM TO EXPRESS
FASCIST SPATIAL PRACTICE

TERRAGNI PROPOSED THE FRONT FAADE
TO BE USED AS A DISPLAY SURFACE
BUILDING TYPOLOGY:

CENTERS OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL LIFE,
TOWN HALL,
MONUMENT TO FASCISM
INFLUENCES OF CLASSICAL AND
RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

USE OF PROPORTIONS
FIGURATIVE MOTIFS,
PARTI-FORMS,
COMPOSITIONAL REGULARITY
CUBIC STEREOMETRY
CLASSICAL DETAIL FORMS

AN AMALGAM OF TEMPLE LAYOUTS FROM
VITRUVIUS TEN BOOKS OF ARCHITECTURE AND
MODERNIST PRINCIPLES OF LE CORBUSIER AND
OTHERS.
HALF CUBE FORM,
REFERS TO SQUARE,
A PART OF SACRED
GEOMETRY OF CLASSIC
ARCHITECTURE.

ENTRANCE IN CONTRAST
WITH TEMPLE LAYOUTS.
TEMPLE LAYOUTS AND TERRAGNIS PLANNING
RENAISSANCE PALAZZO
LARGE GLASS
DOORS OPEN
INTO THE
ATRIUM INSIDE.
BALCONY DETAILS
BUILDING
FACADES