ARMANDO DILLON E LA TUTELA DEL PAESAGGIO NELLA LIGURIA DEGLI ANNI CINQUANTA

Armando Dillon and Landscape Preservation in 1950s Liguria, Italy In the 1950s, Italy experienced a significant tension between forces driving economical development and those committed to preserving the natural landscape. Armando Dillon, who served as the Superintendent of Monuments in Liguria from 1955 to 1964, played a pivotal role in efforts to protect the landscape during this period. At a time when urban and landscape planning was nascent, Dillon championed the need for decisive actions to safeguard the landscape. While he recognized the importance of landscape plans, he expressed skepticism about their effectiveness and instead advocated for stronger urban planning laws. The debates during this era highlighted the insufficiencies of existing legislation and the lack of a unified vision for landscape protection. Economic prosperity partly fueled rampant construction, leading to significant and often detrimental transformations of the landscape. The absence of effective planning also paved the way for widespread real estate speculation. Continuing his work into the 1960s, Dillon faced ongoing challenges in enforcing landscape preservation measures effectively. This period marked a crucial transitional phase in Italy’s approach to landscape protection, dealing with issues such as planning, real estate speculation, and the complex values associated with landscapes. Armando Dillon emerged as a crucial figure in this context, striving to mediate between the real estate developmental interests and the imperative to preserve natural landscapes.