The Foundation Cities during Fascism in Italy: The Radial Plan of Littoria

Abstract

The study focuses its attention on the plan for the founding of the city of Littoria and subsequent expansion plans, all drawn by the same designer, Oriolo Frezzotti. Designed during the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes, undertaken by the fascist regime, the town plan of Littoria was of great importance in the urbanistic debate of the '30s, presenting aspects of considerable interest both for the basis radial scheme, both for the relationship they establish with territory. The paper analyzes in particular: - the reasons behind the choice of a radial system, by searching in the will to include, in the existing urban design, the regional matrix paths; - the relationship between urban planning and the infrastructure network created for the reclamation of swampland, with particular attention to the system of surrounding rural villages; - the formal differences between the urban axes, demonstrating the desire by Frezzotti to differentiate the paths derived from the territory with respect to the paths introduced ex novo; - the method of hierarchization between axial paths and annular ones, with particular reference to road section and to the arrangement of the main buildings; - the role and the provision of open spaces, that introduce secondary axiality within the urban design; - the outcome of the chosen founding plan on the shape of the urban space; - the hierarchy introduced between the main squares, participants in a representation of political, administrative / educational and religious power; - the formal role played by the different building types in the conformation of the urban structure; - the changes introduced to the original plan by the successive expansion projects.