Rural Town – Aprilia

Historical, political or economic context in which the plan/project is proposed

Aprilia is the fifth New Town built during the fascist regime in Italy after the reclamation of the Pontine marshes. It was part of a larger territorial scheme based on the triad city-village-farm (città-borgo-podere), aiming to develop a new agricultural productive system and a new social model based on a new relationship between city and countryside. Aprilia inaugurated in 1936 was almost destroyed in 1942 after the Anzio landing, during WWII. Only the church, the Casa del Fascio and part of the Town hall remained intact. In the end of the Sixties, also these buildings (apart from the church), were destroyed due to the antifascist damnatio memoriae campaign.

Bibliography

Cucciolla, A. Vecchie città/Città Nuove. Concezio Petrucci 1926-1946. Bari: Edizioni Dedalo, 2006.

Margione, E. “Iconic Architecture: Politiche e Propagande per la gestione del valore culturale nella città fascista.” In La città globale. La condizione urbana come fenomeno pervasivo. Urbano/Rurale: Identificazioni, Contaminazioni, Politiche, Eredità Culturale, edited by P. Lanaro, G. Leoni, R. Tamborrino and S. Tondelli, 136-145. Bologna: AISU International, 2019.

Papi, G. “Aprilia Ritrovata.” In Metafisica Costruita. Le città di fondazione degli anni Trena dall'Italia all'Oltremare, edited by Besana, R., Fabrizio Carli, C., Devoti, L. and Prisco, L. 121-127. Milano: Touring Club Editore, 2002.