The Neorealist City itinerary

1 – Tuscolano I, (Barucci, Castellazzi, Dall'Olio, Dinelli, Fasolo, Fioroni, Gatti, Mainardi, Minissi, Nicolini, Nicolosi, Orestano, Paniconi, Pediconi, Venturi) 1950-51
2 – Chiesa dell’Assunzione di Maria Santissima (Muratori) 1954-70
3 – Tuscolano II, (De Renzi, Muratori) 1950-60
4 – Tuscolano III (Libera) 1950-1954
5 – Parco degli Acquedotti

Tuscolano II and III stand in juxtaposition to one another. As we discussed, De Renzi and Muratori used the scale and typology of Modernism with traditional details. In contrast, Libera used a more traditional scale with a distinctly Modern articulation of form and space. Both projects illustrate the departure of Italian architecture from purely historical styles (embodied in the ICP projects of Testaccio and the Esquiline hill). But they also suggest a lingering indebtedness to past and rural traditions. It is interesting that this blending of traditional and modern occurs in a periphery condition—between the historical core of Rome and a wide open horizon. -Tim

This picture emphasizes Tim's note on the siting of Libera's housing complex, showing how the rural landscape of Rome sits right at the backdoor of the development. The success of the project lies in its ability to distinguish itself from the city - by enclosing the complex with a wall, building small scale, one story houses, and of course siting the whole thing in relation to a vast green space. The boundary between the city and the countryside, in the case of Rome, provides the perfect testing ground for the experimentation of the neorealists. The Tuscolano setting waivers between the hypermodern, in the sense of infrastructure - trains, highways, etc. - and the inescapeable, overgrown remnants of ancient infrastructure. This duality reads in the architecture, as the all the projects seem to exist between disparate worlds, that of nostalgia for the past and an anticipation of the future.-Travis

I found Tuscolano III (INA Casa Single-Story Housing Complex) to be one of the more interesting sites we have seen due to its unique spatial qualities. Of course, positioned between the city and a rural landscape the complex successfully exudes stylistic qualities of both a modern housing complex as well as traditional vernacular architecture of the region. What I found particularly interesting, however, was my experience as the occupant within the complex. Distributing the majority of the residential program on a single level (while incorporating green spaces) greatly distinguished this complex from a typical urban space, removing the occupant from the city. The enclosed space containing small road access to the apartments with individual entrances allows the occupant to be visually removed from the adjacent city fabric. The unique design of a dense fabric applied in a tradition sense additionally creates a structural connection between the city and landscape. The views from the single tall residential building, reference the city as well as the rural landscape creating a visual connection point.

--Tina