ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an extensive historical and critical judgment on the legacy of fascist building heritage and culture by Paolo Portoghesi, one of the main protagonists of the contemporary Italian architectural debate. Questions addressed by Portoghesi focus on the postwar debate within the associations APAO (Associazione per l’Architettura Organica) and MSA; differences among urban designs developed during the liberal Italy, fascism, and postwar period; modernity and tradition in the new town program; and current debates in Italy on the preservation of fascist monuments and symbols. Through a narrative that spans from historical investigation to personal memories, the interview enlightens the evolution of Italian architecture in the 20th century and the controversial relationship between state-sponsored architecture of the ventennio and its current reception.
