ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to analyze the reasons behind the birth and evolution of Guidonia, the City of the Air, a military new town built by the Fascist regime in 1937. Located to the northeast of Rome, Guidonia was born as a community nucleus for the DSSE, the research and aeronautic experimentation center of Montecelio, established in the late 1920s. The essay analyzes the historical models and urban culture that inspired Guidonia’s masterplan and architectural language by connecting them to the evolution of the DSSE, the consolidation of the regime during the 1930s, and the increasing importance of aviation to the regime. In addition, the chapter illustrates the evolution of Guidonia’s territory in the postwar period, characterized by a demographic boom, uncontrolled private growth, and new, important but unplanned industrial districts. Lastly, the essay focuses on contemporary Guidonia by investigating the delicate theme of the reception of symbols of the ventennio and their current preservation policies.
