Re-evaluation of the Architecture built during the 1920-1940 period in Meran/o, South Tyrol, Italy. A dissertation submitted to Manchester School of Architecture, a joint school between The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, for the degree of Master of Architecture (MArch RIBA Part II) Vanessa Torri 15110222 Manchester School of Architecture Academic Year 2015/2016 DECLARATION This dissertation is the author’s original work and no portion of the work referred to in the dissertation has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. INTELLECTUALPROPERTY STATEMENT i. The author of this dissertation (including any appendices and/or schedules to this dissertation) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii. Copies of this dissertation, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has entered into. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trademarks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the dissertation, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this dissertation, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this dissertation, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy, in any relevant Dissertation restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, and The University Library’s regulations. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Firstly, I would like to thank my parents, who have always helped me and pushed me to achieve the best I can. A big thank you to my friends whose moral support I could have not done without. I especially would like to thank all of the team at the Archivio Storico di Merano/Meran Stadtarchiv, who have been amazing in helping me research even the smallest of details. A great thank you also to my supervisor, whose vital insights have ensured I would develop my own way of looking at things. And a final thank you goes to everyone else who has helped me, even in the smallest of ways, to be where I am today. Thank you all, Vanessa 5 ABSTRACT. The aim of this dissertation is to analyse and discuss the development of local architecture in Meran/o1, South Tyrol, Italy, during the Fascist occupation (1920-1940) and its role within the current debate on preservation of Fascist monuments across South Tyrol. The case study of Il Municipio di Merano/ Das Rathaus Meran will be used to illustrate how the generally accepted perception that Fascism imposed itself in the South-Tyrolean cities through avert Italianisation and Roman iconography is much more ambiguous and controversial than normally considered, in regards to the town of Meran/o. 1 ‘Meran/o‘ is a combination of the Italian ‘Merano’ and the German ‘Meran’. Throughout this dissertation it will be used a double-naming convention, for what concerns the naming of South-Tyrolean buildings, streets, cities, etc. to ensure that this dissertation sits comfortably within the socio-political situation of South Tyrol. 7 CONTENTS. DECLARATION............................................................................................................................................. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. ............................................................................................................................... 5 ABSTRACT. .................................................................................................................................................. 7 CONTENTS. ................................................................................................................................................. 9 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 10 2. METHODOLOGY. .................................................................................................................................. 14 3. HISTORICAL REVIEW. ............................................................................................................................ 16 3.1 BRIEF EXCURSUS OF SOUTH TYROL’S HISTORY (1900-2016). ....................................................... 16 3.2 MERAN/O BEFORE THE END OF THE GREAT WAR (1850-1918). .................................................. 22 3.3 TRANSITIONAL PERIOD BETWEEN AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE AND RISE OF FASCIST DICTATORSHIP IN MERAN/O. (1918-1922). ........................................................................................ 27 3.4 MERAN/O UNDER THE FASCIST REGIME. (1922-1935). ................................................................ 29 4. DEBATE ON PRESERVATION OF FASCIST ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH TYROL. ...................................... 31 5. DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH TYROL. (1922-1942) ................................... 34 5.1 THE CITY OF BOLZANO/BOZEN. ..................................................................................................... 34 5.2 THE TOWN OF MERAN/O............................................................................................................... 39 6. IL MUNICIPIO DI MERANO/DAS RATHAUS MERAN. ............................................................................ 46 6.1 THE NEED FOR A NEW TOWN HALL. ............................................................................................. 47 6.2 THE DESIGN COMPETITION. ........................................................................................................ ..51 6.3 THE FIGURE OF ETTORE SOTTSASS SENIOR. .................................................................................. 61 6.4 THE SEARCH FOR FUNDS. .............................................................................................................. 65 6.5 THE AMBIGUITY IN THE DECORATIONS. ........................................................................................ 66 6.6 RE-EVALUATION OF THE TOWN HALL ........................................................................................... 71 7. CONCLUSION. ..................................................................................................................................... ..76 8. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 79 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY. ..................................................................................................................................... 82 10. ARCHIVAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................... 84 10.1 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 84 10.2 OTHER ARCHIVAL RESOURCES ANALYSED ................................................................................... 86 11. IMAGE REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 87 9 1. INTRODUCTION Before the creation of the exhibition ‘Architectura 1920-1940’ (fig.1), hosted in the South-Tyrolean town of Meran/o, Italy, between October 2015 and January 2016 and curated by architects Magdalene Schmidt and Walter Gadner of Gadner and Partners, a famous local architecture practice, no one had ever taken on the task of divulging information in regards to the architectural development of Meran/o during the Fascist regime (1920- 1945). The exhibition was a great success and hopefully a first step towards a better (fig.1) (Author, 2016) ©Archivio Storico/Stadtarchiv understanding of an architectural period which Meran/o is often misunderstood and prejudiced, due to its political and social connotations, which are still today felt strongly by the local population. 2 This dissertation sits in a context of further exploration of the 1920—1940 architectural development of Meran/o in order to provide the reader with a fresh new perspective on the matter. 2 No study was made to establish the exact knowledge that the inhabitants have in regards to the architecture built during the period 1920-1940. Nonetheless, this was an informed assumption based on the author’s previous knowledge of the town, on general conversations with local people, on reading articles, and thanks to visiting the architectural exhibition and a brief conversation with the curator Magdalene Schmidt. 10 Further to initial research, it was quickly established how the Fascist impact on the architecture in Meran/o was very minimal, especially if compared to that on the nearby city of Bolzano/Bozen, which Presents