Casa Del Fascio (House of Fascism)

The Casa Del Fascio

 Benito Mussolini’s presence in the Italian government from 1922 to the mid 1940’s led to its changed political values to that of a fascist state.  Visual culture was used as a tool by Mussolini to help strengthen his grasp on the Italian people and spread fascist ideals.  Fascism, being a new style of government and a change in Italy’s culture could no longer be expressed by the traditional standards of Italian architecture.  A new, modern and original style was needed to best represent fascism.  Fascism would change the architecture of the city to adapt to these ideals and utilize organizational skills and new materials while adhering to public and government use.  Benito Mussolini used art and architecture in new styles as propaganda to express itself throughout the nation.  Giuseppe Terragni, an Italian architect displayed a uniform and rhythmic expression of fascism in his Casa Del Fascio, a building that was to be the center of the new Italian government. He took the words “The Glass House of Fascism,” to heart as he designed this building.  The building’s organizational layout best represents the connection between the people and the government.  Terragni created a vast openness with the floor plan and atrium that correlated with the circulatory paths of both the public visitors and the government officials who worked there.  The connection established through this represented a strong trust between the two.  It showed that there should be nothing to hide between the people Fascism supports and the people who run it.  This also allowed the people to be a part of the government at any time necessary.  Also, as you enter the building on both sides were offices of people at work, free to be viewed.  There was a black marble monument on the left as you walk in that had names of fallen soldiers etched into it.  This was interesting to me seeing that we just went over the Vietnam memorial that is very similar.  Within the rooms of the Casa Del Fascio were works of Fascist art and representations of abstract forms.  Within the main conference room was an image of Mussolini captured in one of these shapes.  After the war, the image was removed but his silhouette can be seen still, almost giving a lingering sense of his power.  The building was located in a piazza so that it would have direct access to a public gathering space for speeches and assemblies.  Terragni also used photo montage to create an image of the Casa Del Fascio in use of a gigantic gathering.  Although the gathering never took place, this was a way to express its uses and the overbearing power that Mussolini could have on the public through speech. The atrium allowed for people to gather below as Il Duce spoke.  It was also very flexible to crowd sizes based on entrances and exits that would open for larger floor space or close to confine small groups.  The circulation and floor space was referred to as a ‘square doughnut’ as the plan revolved around the atrium.  All of this was enveloped in a cubical volume of concrete with structural elements expressed in a framework outside involving steel and concrete.  Both new materials for the age that could evoke monumentality and order in a traditional sense while being viewed as modern and new.  The Casa Del Fascio was an innovative and very well designed building that encapsulated the ideals of fascist politics while establishing a connection between its leaders and public followers.

Photo Montage of Gathering

The Conference Room