, [3] [1] between 1953 between no. 215 (May no. 215 (May . We will centre our our will centre . We [2] (no. 199, Dec/ Casabella-Continuità Casabella The Architectural Review The Architectural Casabella Casabella-Continuità , which was the central idea of his the central was , which [4] bluntly posed in the irst lines of his text: posed in the irst lines of his text: bluntly Casabella and 1964. This imbalance makes it relevant to ask why ask why to it relevant and 1964. This imbalance makes of modern architecture the Italian stance of revision in little understood was of its historicity in the light Britain, as the pages of AR attest. referred through its title to the editorial of the irst the editorial its title to through referred issue of the resurrected called that seminal manifesto Jan 1953/54). Rogers "Continuità" which presented some works by the young Turinese Turinese the young by some works presented which with Giorgio Gabetti and d’Isola, in collaboration responses intense received This publication Raineri. among others Britain too, but from Italy, from not only the internationalized Banham, who that of Reyner the pages of through debate from The Italian Retreat (AR) with his “Neoliberty. 1959) (April Modern Architecture” the different explore Our aim is to on this event. study the extent contexts, in both national present approaches ultimate of their and the reasons of their divergences clash. the Neoliberty that evokes literature The existing on the contribution its attention polemic has focused discussion of the of the Italians, within the broader taking that was and rootedness of history recovery little place in their country at that time. In contrast, try and understand the to devoted been have efforts British by displayed the rejection underlying reasons the by particularly circles, architectural progressive from Banham collaborated AR, where around group 1959 as assistant executive and from 1952 as a redactor directed Rogers while editor, Italian bourgeois urbanity Italian bourgeois irst public prise de position on the Rogers’s Ernesto expressed was Turinese of the young architecture that accompanied the publication the editorial through in of their works The revision of the project of modern architecture architecture of modern project of the The revision in the and Italy in found War Second World the after However, fora. most proliic of its two Kingdom United in were its exhaustion overcome to the paths proposed as history to the Italian return divergent; some aspects by rejected intensely was operate to source a legitimate the British scene, more of leading igures some of the of sociology, light in the a revision concerned with of production or the urban aggregation, of new forms particular episodes: two this were of Proof technology. by brought (1957), Velasca the discussion of Torre by censored CIAM 11 (Otterlo’59), to Rogers Ernesto so-called and the counterparts; his British and Dutch the publication of the arisen from Neoliberty debate, 1957) of issue 215 (April/May intellectual project for an architecture of the post-war of the post-war an architecture for project intellectual at the continuity with the labour of his predecessors era: and Persico. the martyrs Pagano of the magazine, front This meant continuity with the principles of modernity: conditions of with the social and cultural coherence of any refusal and therefore freedom the time, creative empiricism experimental and inally a-priori formalism, of modern architecture. core as the epistemological adscription, his idea this orthodox beyond Nevertheless, connect contemporary path had to of an uninterrupted heritage of with the most recent not only architecture (the but with its deeper roots the Modern Movement, with the whole and even of the protomoderns), work of architecture. of the history arch could inclusiveness historicist That this broader was of modern architecture the robustness threaten his was the contrary, On Rogers. by felt much not very its survival. assure it to reform to a determination could become promoting he was that the revision Yet the young the time by realized fully was dangerous in the debate role an active play to began Turinese o this in his "Continuità acknowledged and Rogers revisionism Rogers’s beyond went crisi?". Indeed they of centrality the operative of denying the point to Hence the question the director modern methodology. of 1957) (Figures 1 and 2). His text,"Continuità o crisi?" 1 and 2). His text,"Continuità 1957) (Figures

. “I ,” MIT , AR , in John , in Reyner , Cas.-Cont., Gustave Eiffel Weidenfeld and Weidenfeld , AR 127, June 1928-1960.

Architectural Press: . G. Allen and Unwin: , Cas.-Cont., no. 199, The Second Half Century Continuità On Architectural Journalism L’architetto Gaetano Moretti L’architetto Memoirs of an Unjust Fella. Modern Architecture and the Historian or the Return Cas.-Cont., no. 224, December 1959, pp. 43-53 History as the Story of Liberty Guide to Modern Architecture. Conclusion: Functionalism and Technology The CIAM Discourse on Urbanism, Casa del Girasole: Rationalism and Eclecticism in Italian Neoliberty: The Italian Retreat from Modern Architecture Architecture after 1960, 5: Propositions . RIBA Journal 68, April 1961, p. 230 , AR 113, February1953, pp. 73-77 no. 218, February/March 1958, pp. 69-83; Giulia Veronesi, “ no. 218, February/March 1958, pp. 69-83; Giulia Veronesi, Cas.-Cont., no. 221, September/October 1958, pp. 50-55; Italo Insolera, grandi magazzini di Parigi, 25. CROCE, Benedetto: London, 1941, p. 19 ROGERS, Ernesto (ed.): 26. NATHAN December 1953/January 1954, p. 2 27. BANHAM, Reyner: Banham, Theory and Design in the First Machine Age. The Architectural Press: London, 1960, pp. 329-330 AR 125, April 1959, p. 232 24. For instance: Maurizio Calzavara, 23. BANHAM, Reyner: 1960, p. 381 18. RICHARDS, James Maude: Nicolson: London, 1980, pp. 195-196 19. MUMFORD, Eric: Press: Cambridge, 2000, pp. 178-179 and p.213 20. The publishing house of the Review was the Architectural Press, i.e., Hugh Casson, capital A, capital P. Summerson (ed.), Concerning Architecture: Essays on Architectural Writers London, Lane, 1968, p. 258 and Writing Presented to Nikolaus Pevsner, English Origins of Art Nouveau,” “The 21. For instance: Robert Schmutzler, Need “Beautiful and If AR 117 (February 1955): 109-116; Nikolaus Pevsner, Be Useful,” AR 122 (November 1957): 297-299; Robert Melville, “The Soft Jewellery of Art Nouveau,” AR 131 (May 1962): 320-325 22. PEVSNER, Nikolaus: of Historicism 14. BANHAM, Reyner: Architecture 15. BANHAM, Reyner: London, 1962, pp. 82 Osbert 16. RICHARDS, James Maude; PEVNSNER, Nikolaus; LANCASTER, Lancaster; CRONIN HASTINGS, Hubert de: 101, January 1947, p. 23 17. THE EDITORS:

.” , AR 124, R. Gabetti, , AR 119,

, Cas.-Cont., , AR 136, August , in Atti del Congresso . Cas.-Cont., no. 215, Il Barabino e la cultura uenza del romanticismo fl , Cas.-Cont., no. 214 . Cas.-Cont., no. 199, L’in , AR 12, December 1959, p. Pirelli Building Milan: Architects Tornare ai Tempi Felici ai Tempi Tornare ce Buildings in Milan , Cas.-Cont., no. 218, February/ fi , La Casa, no. 6 (1959); Roberto Continuità Of . AR 126, August/September 1959, AR 129, May 1961, pp. 304-307; L’evoluzione dell’architettura: Risposta al L’evoluzione , AR 112, October 1952, pp. 213-217. , Cas.-Cont., no. 228, June 1959, pp. Continuità o crisi? Alcune opere degli architetti torinesi , AR 131, March 1962, p. 153; BANHAM, AR 129, March 1961, pp. 194-200; BANHAM, , AR 119, May 1955, pp. 77-78. against against Neoliberty: The Debate Italian Eclectic Da Torino a Milano Da Torino Ancora su Sant’Elia Futurist Manifesto ” Casabella-Continuità, no. 215, April/May 1957, pp. , Cas.-Cont., no. 228, June 1959, pp. 2-4. Neoliberty: The Italian Retreat from Modern Architecture Duct-Wall Un antidoto spuntato dell’astrattsimo: Il provincianismo Sant'Elia Architectural Architectural , L’Architettura cronache e storia, no. 33, July 1958, p. 149. , L’Architettura Psychiatric Institute in Milan, Machine-Age Churches? I Florence: Michelucci Due opere di Antonelli a Soliva e a Castagnola Neoclassicismo e civiltà europea nella Trieste mercantile Neoclassicismo e civiltà europea nella Trieste 1. CASABELLA-CONTINUITÀ: A. d’Isola, G. Raineri. 62-75. 2. BANHAM, Reyner: Manuel López Segura Manuel López Neoliberty & co. & Neoliberty The Review Italian 1950s historicism 41-53 7. ZEVI, Bruno: 8. BANHAM, Reyner: no. 219, April/May 1958, pp. 36-45; Achille Neri, urbanistica di Genova nell’Ottocento architettonico Reyner Banham, pp. 77-78. 9. VERONESI, Giulia: europeo nell’architettura di Alessandro Antonelli borghese della (February/March 1957): 62-81; Guido Canella, “L’epopea Scuola di Amsterdam,” Cas.-Cont., no. 215 (April/May 1957): 77-91; Silvano Tintori, March 1958, p. 100. ROGERS, Ernesto (ed): 10. NATHAN Reyner: 1964, pp. 81-82. 13. BANHAM, Reyner: custode dei frigidaires 11. BANHAM, Reyner: 343. 12. For instance: BANHAM, Reyner: AR 125, April 1959, pp. 230-235. ROGERS, Ernesto (ed). 3. NATHAN Gabetti, in (1960); Roberto Gabetti, “Problematica Antonelliana”, Nazionale di Varallo (1962); Roberto Gabetti, Architettura dell’eclettismo: Atti e Rassegna Tecnica Einaudi, 1973). Un Saggio su G. B. Schellino (Torino: 6. For instance: Vittorio Gregotti, and Aldo Rossi, February 1956, p. 81; BANHAM, Reyner: November 1958, p. 281; BANHAM, Reyner: Ponti, Nervi & Associates, Reyner: BANHAM, Reyner, April/May 1957, pp. 3-6. 4. Ernesto Nathan Rogers, editorial, December 1953/January 1954, pp. 2-3. 5. GABETTI, Roberto:

CPA 4 - 136 - to thecitiesofXVIII for Italianhistorical centres, itattention didnotextend Though bothARandtheSmithsonhadshowninterest sense, adeep that is,by anurbanityconveying anextraordinary civic the profound shadowed entrances opento the city, hadto betouched by thearcades, thegalleries and blinded by theavant-gardist criesagainst thehistorical the mere experiencing ofthecity. Any architect, not foundation to asensitivity otherwisedeveloped by it was attheprofessional cultures oftheXIX Gabetti, d'Isola,Raineri, Gregotti, andotherheterodox, such asZevi’s Art Nouveau. Thiswas intensely promoted by journals from theurbanreconigurations ofNeoclassicismto a general reappraisal oftheperiodthatcomprised Rogers’s carried onby Roberto GabettiinTurin eclecticism andonsuchigures asAntonelli orSchellino, centuries. Theextensive research onthearchitecture of architecture inthecityofXIX answers to theirfrustration withcontemporary Turinese andMilanesearchitects ofthe1950ssought Yet itisnotsurprisingthatthemostnon-conformist involvement. and erudite quotations,detached from any social the manipulationofnostalgicromantic references past heritagebecameasolipsistexercise thatcherished foresaw was thatthenecessaryrevision andrecovery of Movement orisitchangingitscourse?".Theperilhe “Can architecture develop thepremises oftheModern paradoxically cosmopolitanandcultivated, witha that justiiedthislookinginward, thisprovincialism, a citylike Turin anditwas theirvery presence there had to lookback.Andthisculture hadlourishedin the exigencies oftheindustrialrevolution thatarchitects their typologicalinnovations andtheiropeningupto their foundation ofatradition ofgoodbuilding,with with theiraccumulationoftechnical knowledge and among othersfrom Zevi The issueofprovincialism, amajorsource ofcriticism the architecture ofCharlesRennie Mackintosh. Britain, except maybe inGlasgow, acitythat produced historical weight andidentity, isto befound nowhere in provincialism ofTurin orMilan,intensely aware ofits is why theparadoxically cosmopolitanandcultivated unite citizensto theirlocalitiesare lessintense. This of thePeninsula–; andthird, inBritainthebondsthat –the macrocephaly ofLondonversus thepolycentrism Italy; second,theirurbannetworks are very diverse irst there isastronger senseofcitydistinctiveness in Italian andBritishhistories ofnationalconstruction, Summerson's career. Finally, dueto thevery different century architecture were tightly entwinedinJohn modernism andthestudy ofXVIIIthandearly XIX Arts andCrafts); orthatthemilitantadvocacy for the 1930s,chosethistradition (alongwiththe promoters, suchasJ.M.Richards, editor of ARsince English ascendancyfor modernarchitecture, its coincidence thatwhen tryingto constructagenuinely Yet BritainhaditsGeorgian architecture anditisno disordered city. but they are subsumedinthemiasmaofVictorian Voysey, orAshbeecouldclaimacomparable reinement, eclecticism. Only theurbandomesticworks ofShaw, and theirhistoricism islesssubtle thanthatofTurinese emphatic intheindividual work, generally excessive, commercial architectures are rather vociferous and XIX upper-middle classesfrom thesecondhalfof model was gradually assumedby themiddleand but tenaciously makes city. Thesuburbandomestic of urbanbourgeois architecture thatunobtrusively reason for thismight bethatBritainlacks thekind time through several articlespublishedinashortlapseof of collaborators around Rogers thattook onthetask th [6] centuryonwards; Victorian andEdwardian . Thischoral enquiryhadto provide scholarly Casabella espressione diciviltà L’Architettura cronache estoria . InMilan,itwas theyoung circle th [7] andXIX ,isofsomeimportance.For th th . andearly XX centuries.Apossible [5] ,was partof th , or century, cortile th

th

; with international roots. D’Aronco, etc. Theirexperience ofmodernitywas local masters: Antonelli, Crescentino Caselli,CarloCeppi, disseminated acommonresearch withprestigious local meant takingnote ofEuropean movements thathad architects lookingattheeclecticismorLiberty city" Persico hadwritten, andalsobecausefor these reasons ofidentity:"InItaly, themostfrankly European vocation to transcend itsboundaries.Thiswas sofor attitudes" which we recognize animageofourownMachineAge familiar landmarkinthefog ofhistory, theirstpoint in the Foundation Manifesto standingup,thefarthest Twenties (andtheFifties)"andfurtherbelow:"we see laid downtheprogramme ofthearchitecture ofthe were, more alive thanten years ago.[...]Sant’Elia introductory note hesaid:"asalive nowasthey ever translation ofMarinetti’s last articleonFuturism heincludedtheirstEnglish the artiicialenvironment are to befound here. Inhis praise ofBuckminster Fuller, orofthediscourse on The seedsofthepromotion ofArchigram, ofthe permanence ,nostructural habits." ‘(8) thatanarchitecture suchasthisbreeds no power to harmonizemanandhisenvironment ‘(7) thatarchitecture mustalsobeunderstood asthe ours from themechanizedenvironment we have created their artsfrom theworld ofnature... sowe shoulddraw "‘(5) thatjustastheancientsdrew theinspiration for develop throughout hiscareer: aspects ofthethinkingBritishhistorian would propositions which, read today, strikingly relect many of Futurist Architecture the irsttimeinto English somepartsofthe architect’s visionarystatus,Banhamtranslated for article onSant’Eliaappeared. To defend theItalian of thatavant-garde movement. Thusin1955hisirst almost archaeological trawling through theremnants invaluable loudspeaker oftheARto make knownhis in the FirstMachine Age Before histhesiswas publishedas call itselfmodern. inluence contemporary architecture ifthisintended to But beyond thisacademiclabour, Futurism hadto re-evaluation ofFuturism asoneofitsprincipalsources. to thehistoriography ofmodernarchitecture was the acknowledged thatoneofBanham’s maincontributions for thepostulates ofItalianFuturism. Itisgenerally was. Andthiswas very muchrooted inhisweakness Banham’s conceptionofwhat modernarchitecture (Fig. 3).Thisantihistoricist discourse stemmed from gardes insearch ofsuggestionsfor contemporary action architecture thatintended to gobeyond theavant- and d'Isola,to launchageneral attackonany Italian that phrase, untilthenlimited to theworks ofGabetti In hisseminalarticleonNeoliberty, Banhamused Banham’s modernity The role ofReynerBanhamI. of ascribinghimto theFuturist movement bonds withfascism andeven around thelegitimacy in Italy. Thediscrepancies revolved around Sant'Elia's Banham away from someoftheresearchers working in therealm ofhistorical interpretation, which kept Apart from thiscriticaldiscrepancy, there were others, no longervalid. Rogers itwas historically determined andconsequently constituted thecore ofarchitectural modernity, for the Britishscholaravant-gardist curseontradition value ofSant’Elia’s architectural proposals. Butwhile for Rogers himselfagreed withBanhaminsalutingthe matter was increasing andprimarysources discovered. during theseyears. Itwas atimewhen knowledge ofthe His enthusiasmfor Sant’Eliawas alsopresent inItaly [9] . (1914).Amongthese,eight (1960),Banhamusedthe Futurist Manifesto Theory andDesign Theory [8]

[10] . Inthe Manifesto .Along machinery thatcameinaround 1910" possibilities ofthesmall,domesticated andpersonalized other nationexcept theAmericans,have appreciated the struck by theway inwhich theItalians,more thanany the problem ofSant’Elia" –Banham says– "Iwas forcibly famous "Neoliberty. TheItalianretreat...": "working on dei frigidaires" "L’evoluzione dell’architettura. Rispostaalcustode partofhislaterstatement, rejoinder to Ernesto Rogers’s That evolution might beillustrated by thefollowing evolution inhisthinking. driven by aprovocative attitude,orthere hadbeensome becomes more dificultto understand;eitherhewas knew allthis,hispositionduringtheNeolibertydebate Lombard traditions ofgoodbuilding.Given thathe of localArtNouveau inlinewiththePiedmontese and engineering, ofthearchitecture ofinfrastructures, and he inequivocally recognized therelevance ofcivil favour in1950sItaly. Moreover, inthearticle"Sant'Elia" which theFuturists rebelled andthatwas regaining architecture ofthatBelleÉpoquebourgeoisie against of “International ArtNouveau”, thatis,precisely the Nonetheless, hehadhimselfpointed attheinluence young Italians,who tended to stress thatconnection. inaccuracy ofthehistorical research carriedonby the origins ofhisaesthetics.Banhamcomplainedaboutthe with these,there was theissue oftheArtNouveau civic buildingatLeghorn by LuigiVagnetti (Fig.4) group, hisirsttwo writings,oneonthemultipurpose architecture ofthoseyears his timeattheReview, andaround ifteen on the Italian Banham publishedthree articlesonFuturism during on Neolibertytowards itsend. in theearly years ofthedecadeto thefuryofhisattack sympathetic towards what he called"ItalianEclecticism" his research onFuturism. He evolved from anattitude appraisal ofcontemporary architecture ran parallel to of itsavant-garde; second,asevere changeinhiscritical with thecountry, aresult ofhisdedicationto thestudy buildings increased gradually asdidhisownfamiliarity two thenumberofcriticalreviews facts: irst, ofItalian AR though the1950sonItalianarchitecture evidences The study ofthecorpusarticlesBanhampublishedin Banham’s Italy The role ofReynerBanham II. in Rome (Fig.5) the otheronLuigiMoretti’s palazzinaCasadelGirasole decision. of afunctionaljustiicationfor every formal or material of hisexpressive language;second,by theavailability apparently contradictory facts: irstby theliberalism was only guaranteed, according to Banham,by two the belongingofhisbuildingto modernarchitecture Thus hewas working inavery unstableterrain, and established planningrulesfor upper-classdwellings. taste–. Moretti’s designhadto comply withthe craftsmanship–, andsocial–eitherpopularorbourgeois availability ofmaterials andthepermanenceof architecture was produced, bothtechnological –the which heattributed to theconditionsunderwhich went deeperinto theexplanation ofsucheclecticism, A year later, hisreview ofMoretti’s CasadelGirasole supportive. only didnotcensure this,butseemedto someextent background Surprisingly, thatexplained it. Banhamnot "Italian attitudetowards eclecticismingeneral" asthe Gothic to Mannerism.Inhisanalysis heidentiiedthe Vagnetti hadborrowed hisdesignsolutions,from irst one,hedescribedthevaried sources from which frenzy oftheautomobile. Turin) Lingotto hadto andMatté-Trucco, beFiat, the mediated by hisbeloved Futurism. Italy (even more architectures ofhistime.HisvisionItaly was strongly and itwas theirdenialthatheperceived intheItalian implications upondomesticlife thatBanhamdiscovered it was thislikingofgadgets andtheirhistorical [11] [14] ,initsturnaresponse to Banham's ,displayed somesympathy. Inthe [13] . Asregards thesecond [12] .Therefore 14] ,

- 137 - Neoliberty & co. )

[24] Casabella Casabella- , by means of several means of several , by Time and Architecture –C architecture was was –C architecture ) journals. th

. Along with this, and again in . Along with this, and again Casabella , not their romanticism– that , not their romanticism– [27] Bauen in Eisen, Bauen in Eisenbeton Bauen in Eisen, Bauen in Eisenbeton " . The German tradition of academic . The German tradition Pioneers L’Architettura [26] techne. , claimed: "We believe in the fecund cycle cycle in the fecund believe , claimed: "We ; a historical excavation to be put in the to excavation ; a historical ... was an early work (irst published in 1936) work an early ... was [25] -C technical developments and to architects and architects and to developments -C technical th articles and Roman (i.e. and Roman engineers such as Labrouste, Baltard, or Eiffel, and to and to or Eiffel, Baltard, engineers such as Labrouste, the new industrial society. of types for the emergence understand the distance between A critical question to mainly is that it was Italian research and the Pevsner their of engineering –not the aesthetics of the works status, not their not their civic professionalism, condition Paneuropean in his he valued the to references with Giedion, he made minor contrast culture buildings of bourgeois of the city and emergence was case his analysis and in any Art Nouveau, before innovations of technical a narration to limited always that depiction. It could be argued a formalist by followed Pioneers but Giedion’s incomplete, necessarily and therefore Bauen in Frankreich, to attention paid more already some extent of 1928, to neglected. aspects that Pevsner several XIX The Italians’ enquiry into service of the operative recovery of those "valenze of those "valenze recovery service of the operative project of Roger's at the center that were libere" laciate endeavour This intellectual continuity. of historical of understanding the values operation a Crocean was to and conditions of past times in their relation those detect and society so as to culture contemporary meaningful within an enlarged aspects that were Croce it was Indeed of modern architecture. tradition in time events remote that "however had defended who refers in reality be, history seem to may thus recounted those situations wherein needs and present present to vibrate" events of Art Nouveau [...] that were far less expository or expository less far that were [...] Nouveau of Art or rhetorical" eulogistic were than they explanatory, actively carried through carried through actively Final note contrast be illuminating to conclude, it might To in of the igures two passages from well-known two of in the irst editorial Rogers, our story. Continuità its represent to and want ‘man-architecture-man’ indispensable the crises; the few, deployment: dramatic more doubts, even certainties and the numerous means, that being alive believe necessary; since we with renewal, of the daily fatigue accepting the overall, anxiety positions, through of the acquired the refutation towards the perpetuating of agony, anguish, by up to and of the ield of human ‘sympathy’"; the extension of our aesthetics, concluded: "this is the ethical content their original and art to brings back trade which the synthesis: historical rigour that Pevsner subscribed could hardly subscribed could hardly that Pevsner rigour historical liberalities. of these any tolerate that Banham attributed both to Milanese (i.e. Milanese to both attributed that Banham analyzing point out when a second aspect to is There the Italian to in relation historiography Pevsner’s of modern dawn that his account of the is scene, which and one Rogers the from diverged clearly architecture to indebted much more elaborating, were his circle conditioned This fact investigations. Sigfried Giedion’s his given in Britain that Pevsner, reception the positive eased. have position, might in 1943. as an exile Switzerland had left for Rogers with Giedion, which his bonds he tightened There must CIAM and in post-war him a leading role assured projects. of their historical eased the convergence have the was phenomena of the post-war One of the relevant tradition as a the Modern Movement around relection Space, of its own. In that sense, (1941), with its meaningful subtitle The Growth of a subtitle The Growth (1941), with its meaningful modern inluential in deining very was New Tradition in the originated project as a continuous architecture a central In addition, Giedion attributed Renaissance. to in the deinition of the modern in architecture role XIX Review Review is all and , was among , was and (b) qua . In addition, CIAM Review [19]

[21] Casabella Return of Historicism Return and the role of and the role s approach to architectural architectural to s approach AR’ . [20] qua Architectural Review qua Architectural , an event, as was the Festival of Britain, of Britain, the Festival as was , an event, (Fig. 8). But in any case neither the (Fig. 8). But in any . This is one of the reasons why in his why . This is one of the reasons , Giancarlo de Carlo, had parallel in Britain. in Britain. , Giancarlo de Carlo, had parallel [23] [22] Triennale Casabella The question remains unanswered of why Richards let Richards of why unanswered The question remains those campaign against AR sustain such an aggressive of many to respond to attempting were in Italy who Casson –another strong it be, as Hugh these issues. May that: "It must be remembered stated, man at the review– –small press that the main object of the architectural other human a, small p– is the same as that of any plant or it be a steel whether or individual, organization in business"? a poet. stay It is to meetings witnessed a convergence of positions between between of positions meetings witnessed a convergence of BBPR, and and Giedion, Enrico Peresutti Richards and the “Common Man” to himself, in relation Rogers of the “Core (CIAM 6), and to Expression” “Architectural the City” (CIAM 8) The status of history for Architectural Review Nikolaus Pevsner assumed Pevsner Richards, M. J. of mobilization the With the number increased This responsibilities. the editorial articles. Indeed the English of historical and extent during Nouveau on Art essays journal published several these years comparable were books journal’s articles nor Pevsner’s monuments the remaining "over these other works to focus had necessarily been cosmopolitan, given that it that given cosmopolitan, been had necessarily focus phenomenon foreign of the mainly in favour militated the 1950s the During architecture. of avant-garde an English-centred turned towards resolutely magazine modern architecture so irst because was agenda. This legitimacy; second, because still in need of national was maybe third be consolidated; success had to its post-war the the war, before of the ight roar the because, given pages many devoting themselves could not help victors the celebration. to and the Picturesque Englishness around The debate Festival with the together promoted, the review revival of a part the parochialism of Britain (1951), evidence the of The internationalism of British intelligentsia. Milan clearly circles, architectural progressive by favoured of national pride celebration latter’s with the contrasts should not we these differences, understand (Fig. 7). To had gone and Britain that modernism in Italy forget On circumstances. historical different very through in the Peninsula practiced the one hand, it had been solid than more were its roots since the 1920s, so that hand, it had lourished under in the Isles. On the other the international so that the turn towards Fascism, in Britain whereas expiatory, was the war scene after with the splendour of the associated modernism was State. Welfare causes, such as the fact could mention other possible We and Rogers Zevi that none of the main Italian igures, connected intellectual instance, nor another great for to our fault, and I mean myself in this case, personally, in this case, personally, our fault, and I mean myself (a) ways: in two historian?" allegation against 1950s historicisms he acknowledged: he acknowledged: 1950s historicisms against allegation that the not say "Could you It might be as well that be as well It might thinking was journalistic, and that nobody at the journalistic, and that nobody thinking was Italians were. the whereas architect, a practising was conceived was within AR history as a corollary, Finally, than as holding any rather as erudition and displayed resonance. its limited This necessarily value. operative between about this striking difference When relecting that the man in the fact one journal and the other, makes J. M. Richards, was at the British magazine charge had cultivated He too understand. to harder it even since the 1930s connexions signiicant international the war. with CIAM since before involved and was isolation had ended", "British intellectual Moreover, was diffusion abroad whose and British architecture, of the much the responsibility very attention more those that attracted ",

, in (1962), being a more being a more Casabella Casabella editorial editorial Compasso d’Oro Compasso , before the war the the war , before Casabella’s . This limited conception of . This limited AR [17] , in the and, even more, in more, and, even The Architect’s Journal The Architect’s QT8 Guide to Modern Architecture Guide to , in . In contrast, . In contrast, . Domus [18] [16] , in Triennale Communità In the essay on Vagnetti’s building Banham posed this posed this Banham building Vagnetti’s on essay In the contemporary does extent what "To clear question: tenets the supposed from proceed architecture Italian to an attempt And it was Movement?" of the Modern articles on all his underlay this question that answer as here, could claim decade. We following the for Italy up as guardian did, that Banham set himself the Italians for that it was be But it might orthodoxy. of a given of a focus to attentive of remaining a matter him rather evidenced vitality was whose production architectural in "the architecture explains the low cultural level of most of level the low cultural explains architecture years twenty the following campaigns over its editorial This might etc.). "Townscape", Tradition", ("Functional Hubert de Cronin causes. First, its owner, diverse have a large for magazine it as a cultural Hastings, conceived audience, its sibling strictly professional publication. Second, it might be a publication. Second, it might professional strictly [of] tradition cultural consequence of that "English the also are who experts journalism by of dilettante practice put otherwise, or, favoured, that the Review amateurs" but sociable of informed "the median level conversation" The role of James M. Richards. of James M. Richards. The role Internationalism and cultural commitment of the Editorial agendas the second half inaugurating the editorial on As stated the war goal after declared AR's century of its existence, "visual re-education" was May it be that by that time Banham was reconsidering reconsidering Banham was that time it be that by May the for it be that his advocacy his position? Or may more was of historicism machine and his revulsion of his thought nuanced than the usual interpretations established? have along with the development of domestic consumerism along with the development a making of 1950s Italy and industrial design; thus of the the development foresee qualiied viewpoint to the war. after Modern Movement means By attitude changed. his moderate Afterwards, and comments devoted number of reviews of the large he (irst article in 1956), Tower Pirelli Gio Ponti's to Italian for way position about the right neat a very ixed different quite (Fig. 6). This path was follow to architects and and Moretti, Vagnetti by the one insinuated from soon he would those deviations to confronted certainly a thus marked The series on Pirelli denounce iercely. Istituto on Viganò's a text by point of inlection, followed Albini and Helg’s (1959), and a mention to Marchiondi his rising engross that would a work (1962), Rinascente on the artiicial environment. interest its for mentioning worth is a last reference There In his ambiguity. among the Italian works selected, he included the selected, among the Italian works he (1957), which Zattere and Gardella’s Girasole double-page each other in a shared to next presented in bringing role Moretti's spread-out. He recalled Neoliberty, a crisis, much before to modernism in Italy it, modernity not being its but without betraying building beside the Venetian As for just “skin-deep”. "It is fancy-dress the Giudecca, he acknowledged: manner of its but the very certainly, architecture, has not that the dressing-up is proof disappearance cowardice. of historical the usual reasons been done for tricky..." Very published principally Italian buildings, particularly Italian buildings, particularly published principally it embodied some Yet favoured. those its editors and his involvement that of Rogers internationalism, of with CIAM, that of the discourse of his circle of early tradition on the European collaborators paid to and that of the particular attention modernity, the mature countries and to of foreign the production As for of the Masters. work policy placed the journal at the level of committed high high of committed policy placed the journal at the level debate. architectural That being true, it cannot be denied that

CPA 4 - 138 - elaboration ofthe from theothersideofAlps,calledfor theenduring avant-gardism instead ofhaving followed thosewho, technology-driven andantiformalist chantsofgratuitous not fully recovered from having succumbedto these reaching isevident today, when Britisharchitecture has That theconsequencesofthisdebate would befar- Rogers, Gregotti, orRossi were determined to preserve. debate, thesevalues were those thatGabetti,d’Isola, this was precisely what was atstake intheNeoliberty all thiswas lostamidsttechnological utopianism. Yet technology), ofurbanculture, ofcollective memory; of technical culture (asdistinctfrom thecultof of architecture to therealm ofthecultural expressions: an imagefor theworld to come,hedeniedthebelonging particulalry when hepraised Archigram for providing or when hespoke oftopology instead ofform, and embraced themessianismofBuckminster Fuller, technological andscientiicchanges. WhenBanham that Rogers conceived, buttheresult ofdeterministic convention –always underrevision, never ixed–, For Banhammodernarchitecture was notthecultural and discard hiswhole cultural load." order to keep up,hemay have to emulate theFuturists knows nowthathewillbeinfast company, in andthat, The architect who proposes to runwithtechnology understand oftechnology are incompatibledisciplines. as architecture andwhat we are beginningto "It may well bethatwhat we have hitherto understood Banham, inthelastchapter of HISTORICIST ARCHITECTURE POST-WAR ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW mestiere NEOLIBERTY CASABELLA . Theory andDesign Theory [28] ... said:

- 139 - Neoliberty & co.