EUR
First project 1937 by Giuseppe Pagano (1896/1945), Marcello Piacentini (1881/1960), Ettore Rossi (1894/1968) and Luigi Vietti (1903/98)
Second project 1938 Marcello Piacentini and Gaetano Minnucci (1896/1980)
"The new plan brings to the extreme the starting scheme by eliminating uncertainties and contradictions and reaching paradoxically, albeit in a purely academic perspective, greater consistency. The play of axial visions and orthogonal routes becomes tighter" (Piero Ostilio Rossi)
Works were interrupted in 1943 for World War II and started again in 1951, with a further boost for the Olympics in 1960
Project of 1952 by Marcello Piacentini and reworking, at least until 1955, by Giorgio Calza Bini (1908/99) Piacentini's working partner
Area of about 420 hectares (1,037 acres)
Designed and built for the Universal Exhibition which was to be held in the capital to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Fascist March on Rome (1922) in 1942. The event was later canceled due to World War II
The original name was E 42 (meaning Exhibition 1942), then changed in EUR acronym of ESPOSIZIONE UNIVERSALE ROMA, Universal Exposition of Rome
In the toponymy of the Municipality the district is officially referred to as QUARTIERE EUROPA (Europe District) but it is known anyway by its acronym
The rationalist architecture in vogue in the fascist period found here its outburst aimed at creating an ideal city ruled by harmony and reason, but at the same time, imbued with metaphysical architecture and therefore not humane. What's left of it can be guessed among the more recent superstructure and it is certainly full of fascinating dreamlike substance
Another positive aspect, not much present in the rest of the city, is the harmonization of green spaces with built-up areas which creates a considerable attractiveness of the urban fabric
"To understand the urban planning genesis and the architectural significance of E42 one needs to remember that the new 'imperial state' had helped to substantially change the climate in which the Italian architects were to operate. It is also important to note that in those years, because of both the changed political conditions in some countries, and both for the stalemate in which the architectural research had ended up, a general return to classicism was in fashion in all of Europe" (Piero Ostilio Rossi)
Besides the RESIDENTIAL AREA, it is HOME TO OFFICES including:
Confindustria (Association of Industrial Enterprises), Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, SIAE (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers), ICE (National Institute for Foreign Trade)
CENTRAL OFFICES OF INSTITUTIONS:
ENI, Banca di Roma, Italian Post Office, INAIL
ITALIAN OFFICES OF MANY MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
MUSEUM AREA:
Museo della Civiltà Romana (Museum of Roman Civilization), the Museo Nazionale dell'Alto Medioevo (National Museum of the Middle Ages) and the Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico Luigi Pigorini (National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography Luigi Pigorini) as well as a new planetarium with the attached Museo dell'Astronomia (Astronomy Museum), opened in 2004
It's called NUVOLA (Cloud) and it will indeed contain a huge cloud-like structure
