Diradamento e assemblaggio: la costruzione dello spazio pubblico fascista

The relationship between architecture and power is crucial during the Fascist era and reshapes urban fabrics in therms of both spatiality and expressivity. This paper addresses the theme of public open space by proposing two key-perspectives: the theory of thinning by Gustavo Giovannoni and the metaphysical assemblage traceable in Giorgio De Chirico’s aesthetic. Some steps that oriented the design culture in the Fascist period are first synthesized; subsequently, the two approaches are presented through a theoretical and artistic critical interpretation. In conclusion, a reflection opens on the resistance character of public spaces today and on the permanence of an urban quality introduced in the first post-war period.