ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the architectural traditions that were appropriated, adapted, and invented in the architecture of Ina-Casa in order to uncover how breaks and bridges with the past were communicated and the consequences. It considers how historical and geographical traditions were appropriated in order to convey meaning, tell stories, or invent connections in an effort to redefine Italy as a post-Fascist republic. The chapter examines not only the use of history, but also the use of geography or place: that is, how architects resurrected forms associated with particular places rather than, or in addition to, particular time periods. The practice of appropriating traditions in contemporary design was in keeping with methods of studying and using history that were popular at the time in Italy, particularly those taught by Gustavo Giovannoni. The history and developing mythology of the Italian Resistance was central to the postwar redefinition of the national community, for it offered a heroic narrative of opposition to Fascism.
