ABSTRACT
Reconstructing Italy uses Ina-Casa as a lens through which to trace the postwar transformation of Italy, in regards to both the physical fabric of the nation and the idea of Italy in the collective imagination. Designed to address both the housing and the unemployment crises, the Ina-Casa plan built working-class neighborhoods throughout the nation during its two seven-year phases. As such, Ina-Casa construction comprised a significant share of total new residential construction. The designs of Ina-Casa both reflected and constructed evolving ideas about Italian identity, modernity, and community after Fascism. The disparity between the aesthetic variation of the exteriors and the consistency of the interiors of Ina-Casa homes raises questions about the conflicting desire to transform daily life while at the same time appearing to preserve or revive traditional patterns of life. The picture that emerges from the exterior of Ina-Casa projects ranges widely, reflecting a diverse and divided society.
